IE3 Intern Greets the Queen
Noted on August 12, 2009 by Michele Justice in
Upon my arrival in Scotland I was promptly told that the Queen would be visiting the following week, and that preparations for her visit would be one of my first assignments. There’s nothing like jumping right into a new work environment with the grand task of assisting with a royal visit. This would be the first visit by a reigning monarch to the small coastal town of North Berwick since 1902, and the entire town was abuzz with excitement. The Scottish Seabird Centre won the Queen’s award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development for the second time. This is a great honor, and wonderful recognition for all the hard work the Centre does towards sustainable tourism and business practices. Because of security purposes, the Centre was given only two weeks notice for the royal visit, creating an obvious scene of organized chaos and rushed planning.
When the day finally arrived, the weather cooperated with a beautiful sunny day and Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrived by helicopter landing in a nearby field. Their caravan then drove down the main street toward the Centre. Hundreds of people lined the street and front entrance to the Centre, all out to see just a glimpse of the Queen and Duke. I received one of only 200 “Royal Invitations” to attend the event in the center of the activity, and was so honored to have a front row view of the visit. School children lined the pathway waving Scottish flags and the Queen smiled as she walked past them, obviously enjoying the youth turnout.
After a wee visit inside the Centre, the Duke and Queen returned outside and the plaque was unveiled commemorating this historical event. When I returned to work later that afternoon I was given champagne to toast the occasion. I knew then, I would have a wonderful summer.
In addition to this excitement; several days before the Queen was to arrive, I visited the Highland Show, a festival an hour’s drive away from North Berwick. As I walked around the show I noticed a large crowd gathering down a lane. I asked a nearby woman what was going on and she replied excitedly that the Queen was around the corner! I got the wonderful surprise of seeing the Queen that afternoon as she was touring the event. I was lucky enough in my first two weeks of being abroad to have two eye-witness accounts of seeing the Royal family, something most locals don’t experience in their lifetime!