Queen Elizabeth visiting a fair in 1988.
This was my first exhibition of tennis books and antiques and the Queen came! I have since staged another 110 such exhibition at tennis events, but without royalty present.
Just before she reached my stand, she was taken aside to a private room and informed that HRH Prince Charles had, earlier that day, been involved in a terrible skiing accident in which an equerry had lost his life. The Duke of Edinburgh had wanted to go straight back to Buckingham Palace, but her majesty said that as they had agreed to stay till 4pm, they would fulfil that commitment.
Shortly after that, she was introduced to my wife (who forgot to curtsey) and to me and we enjoyed a short conversation.
The facts of this were told to me later that day by an LTA official who was present throughout.
Alan Chalmers
The Tennis Bookshop, Midhurst
