‘It had to come’ – Timaru monarchist
Shirley Piddington thinks Prince Harry and Meghan may retain their royal titles because ‘‘it’s part of tradition’’.
The Timaru monarchist is following with interest the recent announcement by the duke and duchess of Sussex that they want to step back from their roles, become financially independent and split their time between Britain and North America.
She thinks the Queen has been ‘‘shocked’’ by the announcement and now has to deal with modern family problems.
‘‘I suppose it had to come. Meghan is an American actress and an independent person and of course he [Prince Harry] adores her.’’
Piddington has followed the royal family all her life. She was born in the same year as Princess Margaret in 1930, their birthdays just five days.
She also lives in the aptly named Windsor St and used to belong to the now disbanded Royal Overseas League whose members gathered for special events such as the Windsors’ weddings, and celebrated them with high tea.
Her favourite family member is the Queen – ‘‘because I’ve known her the longest. She was plunged into the role so young she couldn’t have made a better job, perfect.’’
Piddington feels she knows the family because she has read so much about them and kept a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings and pictures.
In 1954, Piddington, a shorthand typist, and a handful of friends slept overnight in Cathedral Square to get a good position to see the Queen on her visit to Christchurch. Everyone was given a day off from work for the event.
They got to sleep about 2am and were then woken by the street cleaning machine, but she said it was worth it.
‘‘We were at the front and had a good view. It was marvellous.’’
She recalled the monarch was wearing a green jacket and a floral dress, delivering her speech on a dais just metres away. There was a crowd of thousands and two men in business suits were observed comically setting up a ladder along the street, climbing it to get a glimpse of her majesty as she moved around the city.
When the Queen visited Timaru in 1977, Piddington was there with her late husband Bill who had a chat with Prince Phillip about vintage cars.
Whatever Prince Harry and Meghan’s future holds Piddington said she wished them well.