THE ROYAL FAMILY’S ‘ANNUS HORRIBILIS’

1992

AFTER Windsor Castle catches fire and is partly destroyed, and three royal marriages collapse, the Queen describes 1992 as her ‘annus horribilis’.

AFTER Eric retired from the somerset rivers Authority in 1985 following some 35 years as a clerk of works, the couple have more time to enjoy themselves.

By now in their 70s, they holiday regularly in Torquay and Dartmouth in Devon.

But foreign travel is out of the question after a trip to Amsterdam.

‘ i’d never been in a plane before and i was scared witless,’ Eric admits. ‘i vowed i would never fly again.’

Their hands are full with grandchildren — they go on to have 11 — with 28 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great-grandchildren, nearly all of whom are less than a 30-minute drive away.