y encounters with The Queen over the years were many and varied: we planted a palm tree together to celebrate the centenary of the opening to the public of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight – once the home of Queen Victoria, and given to the nation after her death by King Edward VII. I say ‘we’ and, indeed, Her Majesty did throw a couple of spadefuls of earth in the direction of the plant, but she was then very happy to hand over the implement and let me complete the operation, smiling wryly and indicating with a raise of her arm my expertise to the surrounding
