Charles saves the dame as he stands in for Queen
THE Prince of Wales stood in for his mother yesterday as the Queen continued to rest and undertake only ‘light duties’.
Charles carried out a lengthy investiture engagement hours after Buckingham Palace confirmed the 95-year-old monarch was pulling out of attending the Cop26 climate summit.
Among those receiving honours was Maureen Lipman, who was made a dame and revealed that she turned to the Coronation Street wardrobe department for a hat to wear.
The actress borrowed seven headpieces from the set of the soap and canvassed friends the night before her big day about which one to choose. The 75-yearold, who eventually opted for a black fascinator to go with her outfit of patterned coat over a black dress, received her damehood for services to charity, entertainment and the arts in a career spanning more than 50 years.
A veteran of stage and screen, she has found a new audience more recently through her role as Evelyn Plummer in the ITV soap.
Dame Maureen, who was awarded a CBE in 1999, said after the Windsor Castle ceremony: ‘The fact that the future monarch has given me a damehood – I never expected that because I had an award. And then it’s been a long time coming because I heard about it in 2020 and then I couldn’t collect it. And so the coat you bought becomes like something you don’t want to wear. ‘Then it becomes, “what the heck do I wear on my head?”, and then in the end I went to Coronation Street and I said, “have you got any fascinators in wardrobe?” and they gave me seven.’ Describing how she finally chose the headpiece, she said: ‘I travelled back from Manchester with seven hats and on Tuesday I had friends round and they said, “wear that, no that, not that”, and I completely blew it this morning and changed my mind.’
Of her brief chat with Charles she said with a laugh: ‘He was adorable – he said, “I don’t know how you do it when you change your character” and I said, “I think you do sir”.’
The Queen will film a video message later this week to be played to delegates gathering for the crucial UN climate change summit in Glasgow on Monday.
Buckingham Palace insist her decision not to travel to Scotland was a ‘sensible precaution’ after her recent stay in hospital for unspecified tests and her doctor’s order to rest.
She had been due to attend a reception and give a speech.