Gillian Wolfe has had the pleasure of meeting the Queen on five separate occasions, with her first encounter coming in 2000.
Working in art education, Gillian was overseeing the 2000 Millennium Project at Dulwich Picture Gallery.
The Queen visited and spoke to participants of the Arts for Unemployed programme, where she met an Indian man whose works was later displayed at St Thomas’ Hospital.
“She was so interested in the man’s story, listening sympathetically and empathetically. He was beside himself to meet her. He was in heaven,” said Gillian.
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Gillian, who received an MBE for her work in art and social activities, was later invited to the Queen’s garden party.
Gillian said: “She had an absolutely fabulous smile and she always looked fantastic in beautiful colours.
“She would always stand out among the lines of men in dark suits like some sort of beautiful flower, always wearing wonderful hats.”
Gillian would also meet her at Holyrood, and at St Paul’s Cathedral, where the Queen thanked her for starting an orchestra at a Deptford school.
“She’s the mother of our country and there will never be anyone quite like her. I love her very much,” she said.
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