Scarborough primary school celebrate Queen's life with royal day

The royal day was held on Friday September 16, and the children dressed in regency fashion as they celebrated and mourned the late monarch.

The children enjoyed an afternoon tea-style lunch and learnt the national anthem. And there were guests who had connections to the Queen.

Theresa Hargreaves, School Administrator, said: “We wanted to find a way to celebrate that was respectful to the Queen, but also a way that commemorates her amazing life.

“I started asking around to see who could be involved. In Scarborough there’s so many people who have met royalty and have met the Queen and I thought ‘these children need to hear this’.

“This will be a moment in time when their children and grandchildren will ask them ‘what did you do when Queen Elizabeth II died?’

“I’m hoping that they’ll remember it forever.”

The children’s afternoon tea-style lunches included cakes, sandwiches, scones and pizza which they shared with their guests, who sat amongst the pupils and told their stories of the late Queen and royal family.

One of the guests was Steve Willbourne, a former police officer and close-protection officer for the Queen.

He said: “This is a very important historical moment for the whole country, but for the children as well.”

Mr Willbourne spent 18 years as a “bodyguard” for the Queen, and worked with her for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

When his team of three was sleeping, uniformed officers would protect the Queen.

He recalled stories to the children about times that the Queen avoided bad accidents, such as the infamous horse incident on The Mall during the Trooping the Colour in 1981.

Mr Wilbourne added that the Queen’s death is “extremely sad for the whole country, both nationally and individually. She was a marvellous servant, a monarch for 70 years and sometimes this isn’t always the case but you don’t realise what you’re missing until it’s not there any more.

“The King has been preparing for this role for many, many years and I'm sure he will do an absolutely fantastic job.”

Another guest who had met the Queen was Helen Thwaites.

Mrs Thwaites is a former member of the Army, and met the Queen when she was posted at Regent’s Park Barracks as part of the 20 Squadron, in order to look after the Queen’s royal baggage.

“I’ve met the Queen twice, once she spoke to me when she came to Regent’s Park Barracks, and I’ve also met Lady Diana.”

“The passing of the Queen gave me time to reflect on my 10 years in the Army. I’ve got pictures out and l wouldn’t change any of it.

“It’s really sad that the Queen’s died, and I think she’s going to be hard to match.”

Other guests included Linda Tomczak, a royalist and guest of the town crier when the Queen opened Scarborough Open Air Theatre in 2010, and Wendy Craig-Tyler, who is associated with the Duke of Edinburgh awards.

Also there were Cllr Helen Mallory, who was the Mayor when the Queen opened the Open Air Theatre and has attended one of the Queen’s garden parties, and Elaine Mudd, a farmer on the Duchy of Lancaster Estate.