The day the Queen came to celebrate our Centenary

In 2015, The WI turned 100 and a very special Annual Meeting was held at The Royal Albert Hall. HM The Queen came to lend her support and deliver a speech, accompanied by HRH The Princess Royal and HRH Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Here, three key WI players share their treasured memories of the day.

Lynne Stubbings, NFWI Vice Chair in 2015

When Her Majesty walked on stage, the Royal Albert Hall absolutely erupted with a standing ovation and cheering. Amazingly, she looked quite surprised with the reception she got, taken aback at the warm welcome that members gave to her. It took a few minutes before everything settled down and she was able to give her speech. Her Majesty had requested for Jerusalem to be sung again when she arrived at the meeting – it had already been sung in the morning – which just showed her genuine love for all things WI. She truly enjoyed spending time with members and speaking about what their WI is getting up to, and seemed sincerely interested. It’s hard to remember every detail about the day as it just felt like a whirlwind of different emotions, a blur almost. It was so moving – to have 5,000 women in the Albert Hall show their appreciation for The Queen, especially when she means so much to many WI members, and women across the world.

Janice Langley, NFWI Chair in 2015

The lead up to the centenary was such a whirlwind, that when Her Majesty actually arrived on the day of the Annual Meeting, she was a well-needed calming influence for us all. Her ability to put anyone at ease when speaking to them was testament to the humanity she showed everyone she met, and will continue to be remembered for. When it was my turn to be introduced to her, I thanked her for letting us WI members use her garden at the Royal Garden Party that happened earlier that week. She said she observed the party from a room in the Palace, and made a joke about the windy weather blowing members hats around. Her sharp memory never missed a beat – as I was surprised she remembered these small details about the day amid her ever-busy schedule. Experiencing the meeting on the same stage as the Queen felt surreal, and her speech was poignantly powerful as always. She recognised the influence of the WI not just on her life, but on history as a whole, a constant throughout time – just like Her Majesty’s reign was for all of us for so long.

Julia Roberts, NFWI Treasurer in 2015

I have many memories of being a NFWI Trustee over the years, but meeting The Queen at the Centenary Annual Meeting in 2015 has to be one of my most memorable highlights. I felt so honoured to be able to share a personal moment with The Queen – and a silly one too! We had a kerfuffle in the lift going up to the meeting, as we were instructed not to turn our backs to any of the Royal Party. But leaving the lift would mean we would have to – a conundrum for anybody – but when nerves are high you can imagine how we felt! But Her Majesty simply walked past me and Janice without a second thought. Many people who meet The Queen often say that she puts you at ease with the warm way she has about her – but I experienced it first-hand that day. The Centenary was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all members who attended, and I will have fond memories of that day for years to come.