Former Royal staff member who has turned 103 recalls Prince Andrew ‘always being in trouble’ and how she stayed all day and night to help save priceless paintings and china from Windsor Castle fire in 1992
- Evelyn Muir-Bell worked for the Royal Household in Windsor Castle for 20 years
- Evelyn now lives at Stratton Court care home in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
- Evelyn, 103, worked at Windsor Castle as Manageress of the China Museum
One of the oldest living former members of Royal staff has turned 103 and shared her memories of the young Royal Family – including Prince Andrew always being in trouble.
Evelyn Muir-Bell worked for the Royal Household in Windsor Castle for 20 years – and says the late Queen Elizabeth II was a ‘real human, nice person’.
Evelyn, who lives at Stratton Court care home in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, and celebrated her 103rd birthday on October 23 this year, said that Prince Andrew was the most troublesome Royal.
Her family had a long history of serving the Royals and her father-in-law was Superintendant of the Mews – teaching the Queen and Princess Margaret to ride horses.
Evelyn followed her family traditions and worked at Windsor Castle throughout her life as Manageress of the China Museum, a part of The Royal Collection.
In 1992 she also received a letter thanking her for her efforts during the huge fire that broke out; Evelyn had stayed all day and all night to help save the priceless paintings and china from Windsor Castle as firefighters battled the raging blaze.
Evelyn Muir-Bell (pictured left in the 1950s, and right, recently) worked for the Royal Household in Windsor Castle for 20 years – and says the late Queen Elizabeth II was a ‘real human, nice person’
Evelyn, who lives at Stratton Court care home in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, and celebrated her 103rd birthday on October 23 this year, said that Prince Andrew (pictured in 1964) was the most troublesome Royal
An invite addressed to Evelyn from The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh for the Christmas Ball in 1983
Despite suffering from dementia today she can still recount her experiences of working at the castle and watching the Royal children grow.
‘I did my best to do as I was told’, she chuckled.
Evelyn worked for the Royal Household between 1973 and 1995 – and attended many a ball where she recalls watching Queen Elizabeth dance alongside the staff.
She described the Queen as having a ‘graciousness’, adding that there was ‘no arrogance’. ‘She was a real human, nice person’, she said.
At Christmas, Prince Philip would give gifts to the household and would often ask what people wanted.
Evelyn once asked for some plastic plates and bowls to use with the grandchildren, despite being the manager of the China Museum.
A letter from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh for the Queen’s Anniversary, left, and a letter from the late Queen thanking Evelyn for a present that Evelyn bought for Her Majesty, right
Evelyn followed her family traditions and worked at Windsor Castle throughout her life as Manageress of the China Museum, a part of The Royal Collection
In 1992 she also received a letter thanking her for her efforts during the huge fire that broke out; Evelyn (pictured in the 1990s) had stayed all day and all night to help save the priceless paintings and china from Windsor Castle as firefighters battled the raging blaze
She told of how Queen Elizabeth thought plastic plates and bowls were a sterling idea – they looked like china but didn’t break. They remain in Evelyn’s family today, being used by her great-grandchildren.
Evelyn remembers telling a young boy off for picking up the china she was charged with looking after. She didn’t have her glasses on and was completely unaware it was actually Prince Andrew.
‘Andrew was always in trouble because he left his towels lying around’, she said. Adding that ‘all household thought the real princess was Anne’.
Moving from Scotland as a young child Evelyn later married and her husband Ken Walters, a sergeant major in the Grenadier Guards, went to fight in World War II.
Evelyn (pictured right) and her daughter Jill in the 1950s. Evelyn recounts letters received by the Queen, including one thanking her for a gift – pictures of two budgies, a bird Her Majesty kept and was fond of
Moving from Scotland as a young child Evelyn later married and her husband Ken Walters (pictured), a sergeant major in the Grenadier Guards, went to fight in World War II. He received a bravery medal following the rescue of men during battle in Italy but sadly went on to die during the war
He received a bravery medal following the rescue of men during battle in Italy but sadly went on to die during the war.
Evelyn recounts letters received by the Queen, including one thanking her for a gift – pictures of two budgies, a bird Her Majesty kept and was fond of.
Her family say Evelyn’s dementia means that day-to-day she’s unaware of Queen Elizabeth’s death – something she was saddened to hear about at the time.
Her daughter Jane said the care home gathered around the TVs to watch the Queen’s funeral.
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