A visit from the Queen
Yesterday, December 2, 2009, the Ashmolean was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I was absolutely thrilled when I heard that she was coming, much to the amusement of many of my colleagues (who, being British, are much more used to royal comings and goings than this Canadian).
Being a staff member, I was invited to this VIP event. Some of my colleagues were working, but I was fortunate to not be on the shift (which meant better Queen-spotting opportunities!). The guests were divided into groups and placed in various gallaries in the museum, all with a view of the atrium, where the Queen would be ascending the stairs.
Her route was mapped out for her: she visited the Ancient Far East Gallery, the Islamic Middle East Gallery, the Mediterranean World Gallery, the Conservation Studios, the roof-top Restaurant, the atrium (to unveil a plaque), and then the Randolph Sculpture Gallery to sign the guest book before leaving. I was sent with a group of guests to the top floor, which unfortunately did not offer the best view. We could see her walk up the atrium stairs far below us, and we caught a few glimpses of her in the Islamic Gallery through its glass wall. That was enough to at least satisfy me (as I could clearly see her face at one point). But then our group was whisked down to the Randolph Gallery, and a fellow VSA and I quickly took our places across from the desk where she would be signing the guestbook.
I got a great look at her then! I was probably no more than eight feet away from her. I heard her speak to her companion while she signed the book, and she flipped to the page where her mother had signed years ago, and paused to look at that for a moment (which made her smile). I must say, for an 83-year-old woman, she looks great. She wore a lovely blue hat, a beige coat, and short heels. She looked very healthy and stately. It was a rather strange sensation for me to see her – one second she seemed like any little old lady that might come into the museum, and then the next it hit me that this was the face on my money back home (and here!), the face of the Queen who has been reigning for almost 60 years. What an experience!
If you’re interested, there is an article about the event here, and some photos on NPR’s site here.
Being a staff member, I was invited to this VIP event. Some of my colleagues were working, but I was fortunate to not be on the shift (which meant better Queen-spotting opportunities!). The guests were divided into groups and placed in various gallaries in the museum, all with a view of the atrium, where the Queen would be ascending the stairs.
I got a great look at her then! I was probably no more than eight feet away from her. I heard her speak to her companion while she signed the book, and she flipped to the page where her mother had signed years ago, and paused to look at that for a moment (which made her smile). I must say, for an 83-year-old woman, she looks great. She wore a lovely blue hat, a beige coat, and short heels. She looked very healthy and stately. It was a rather strange sensation for me to see her – one second she seemed like any little old lady that might come into the museum, and then the next it hit me that this was the face on my money back home (and here!), the face of the Queen who has been reigning for almost 60 years. What an experience!
If you’re interested, there is an article about the event here, and some photos on NPR’s site here.
