While Whitehaven may have been the host town for the recent visit to Copeland of The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, the whole region played its part in welcoming HRH, not least Egremont.
From the hundreds of school children who lined the streets to welcome her majesty, to the police drafted in to help co-ordinate the event, the visit touched many, and will live long in the hearts and minds of us all.
This was the first time since 1980, when she visited Marchon and went to Workington, that The Queen had visited West Cumbria, a fact not lost on Chris Ashcroft, acting head of Bookwell School.
"I remember being a pupil at Workington Grammar School at the time, and being very excited about going along to see The Queen. I can remember the day so vividly, almost as if it was yesterday, and we are talking 28 years ago," he said.
"That was the reason I thought it was so important that our children were given the opportunity to go along and see The Queen and Prince Philip, because it is a day that many of them will never forget.
"Royal visits are such a rare and treasured experience, and I think that the children really did understand the significance of what they were witnessing," he added.
Bookwell were perhaps the best represented of all the schools at the event, with every child on the school roll being offered the opportunity to attend and 192 eventually going along on the day.
Chris said: "I was ringing the council all week to make sure they knew how many I was taking, and they kept saying it was fine, but when we arrived with four bus loads we were told we should have only had one – but it was too late then!
"We made sure that we were down there nice and early to secure a good place, which we got. It was a little bit chaotic at times, with no toilet for the children, but I told them all beforehand what the situation was and their attitude was fantastic: the will of the children to see The Queen overcame any minor problems.
"Obviously the excitement built as the day went on, but the Queen walked past and was handed some flowers by one of our pupils. She was everything you could imagine her to be, courteous, friendly – perfect really.
"She asked if this was all of Bookwell School and we were proud to tell her that it was; there was even one of our smaller children who had managed to peek her head between the fence as the Queen passed, and she stooped over to say hello and accept some flowers."
The pupils had produced a book to present to Prince Philip to mark his upcoming 87th birthday. It contained pictures, all drawn by the children, and 87 facts they had researched and collated about him.
Chris added: "He seemed really pleased with the present. We told him it contained 87 facts about him and quick as a flash he smiled and said, ‘don’t believe a single one of them!’
"We got back to school at 12.30 and the children were full of it, they really were, it was a day that none of us will ever forget."
One of the lucky few who were fortunate enough actually to be formally introduced to HRH, was Egremont’s own Elaine Woodburn, leader of Copeland Council.
Elaine said: "It was a tremendous honour to be able to meet The Queen. I think it was a real coup for Whitehaven, and Copeland, to be able to host the royal visit, and I am delight that she chose to visit us.
"From a personal point of view, having had the opportunity to meet her it is something I will never forget, and I’m sure the thousands of others who turned out will feel exactly the same."

The Egremont Connection

laine was not the only individual with a strong Egremont link to share a few moments with The Queen, although for Flt Lt John Walker the conversation with her majesty came as something of a surprise.
One of Egremont Today’s own merry band, John, who delivers ET around his home in the Woodend area, was at the harbour to sound a series of special firings of the one o’clock gun.
"I fire the gun every Friday at one o’clock, in my capacity as gunnery officer, and it was felt that it would be appropriate to have the gun sounded when The Queen arrived, and then as she left The Beacon, and again as she departed," John said.
"As the fly over began I stood up and looked in amazement as the jet passed overhead and suddenly a voice said to me, ‘I bet you’d rather be up there, wouldn’t you’. I knew immediately that it was her majesty as it could only possibly be, because of where I was standing.
"I told her ‘I would very much like to be up there, Ma’am,’ and then we chatted throughout the rest of the aerial display, which went on for some time, about various things. Meeting her and talking to her was an absolute privilege, especially as it was so unexpected,"
John was presented with a medal to mark the occasion from the US Naval representatives.
The Queen toured The Beacon as part of her visit, during which she ran into the familiar face of Tommy Mattinson, the current World Gurning Champion, and a personality whose face has become synonymous with the Egremont Crab Fair over recent years.
A picture of her majesty watching Tommy perform his award winning gurn appeared in several national newspapers and was even used on the television current affairs quizshow, Have I Got News For You. Prince Philip is said to have warned Tommy that if the wind changed he could be stuck like that.
Beacon manager Sue Palmer accompanied the royal party around the attraction, and said the visit had been a resounding success.
The guests of honour spent 45 minutes learning about the history, industry, trade and artwork of Whitehaven. Sue said: "It went amazingly well, so smoothly, and we are all thrilled at the success that it has been. In fact, they ran over time because they wanted to see so much. They were particularly interested in the artwork and the new paintings, as well as the archaeology we have on display. They were both interested to see the Bielby Goblet, which we were able to buy with the help of a donation from The Queen Mother. And they both commented on the fantastic view we have from the viewing gallery on the top floor."
The focus of the Royal visit was both marking the 300th anniversary of Queen Anne awarding the Royal assent to Whitehaven Harbour and also the night in 1778 when John Paul Jones spiked the town’s guns in a crucial scene in the American War of Independence.

Elaine Woodburn greets the Queen while Mayor Keith Hitchen greets the Duke of Edinburgh	The Queen receives flowers from St Bridget's Children
A seagull unmoved by the crowds and the royal visitor	The Queens inspects a guard of Cadets
Whitehaven Town Band	Whitehaven Male Voice Choirs sings its tribute as the Queen enters the Beacon