Former Royal Protection Officer Dick Griffin has explained that the Queen allowed him to hold his retirement party in the State Apartment. The former royal protection officer said just hours before the gathering that the Queen had expressed her desire to take part in the celebrations, but noted that she had not been invited to the event. Mr Griffin then confirmed that Her Majesty ‘crush my party’ alongside Prince Phillip and Prince Edward in what he said was one of the highlights of his career.
Mr Griffin told Sky News: ‘It was when I was retiring and the Queen’s private secretary… The Queen would like me to throw my retirement party at the State Department, and I can invite 200 people .
“And I said to him well, I don’t know 200 people, because when we found out when my retirement party was, I quickly did it.
“Anyway I arrived with my family in the evening, and one of my colleagues Colin told me that there is a little old woman coming to your party tonight and I said what a little old woman, he said the queen!” And I said no, be silly, she doesn’t do anything like that.
“If she does it for one person, she has to do it for everyone.
“And he said, well, she really wants to come to you. I was with her in the car this afternoon and she said, she called me Dick, it’s the goodbye cock party tonight, I’d like to go, but he didn’t invite me.
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Mr Griffin added: ‘So Colin said, ‘Your Majesty, of course you can go, it’s your party. What an honor it would be if you showed up.’
“And it was lovely, His Majesty, Prince Phillip and the Earl of Wessex all came to my retirement party.
“Which I have to admit was one of the most exciting times of my career, it was just wonderful to be introduced to the Queen.
“My kids and my wife had obviously met her before, but none of my extended family had, so it was just a fantastic way to end my career working with her.”
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The Duke of Sussex said: ‘As we celebrate the life of my grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen – and mourn her loss – we all remember the compass she has been to so many in her commitment to the service and duty. admired and respected. His unwavering grace and dignity remained true throughout his life and now his eternal legacy.”
“Let us echo the words she spoke after the death of her husband, Prince Philip, words that can now bring comfort to all of us: ‘Life, of course, is about final partings as well as first encounters. “
“Grandma, as this latest parting brings us great sadness, I am eternally grateful for all of our first encounters – from my earliest childhood memories with you, to your first encounter as Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren.
“I cherish those times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between.”
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