Queen speaks at length for first time since passing of Prince Phillip
Queen Elizabeth has spoken at length for the first time since her husband Prince Philip died.
Speaking to the Royal Life Saving Society via video call, the Queen looked calm and composed as she looked back fondly at the time when she was awarded the Life Saving Award as a young girl.
Queen Elizabeth was just 14 when she earned her junior respiration award in February 1941.
She was the first young person in the Commonwealth to achieve the award.
“I didn’t realise I was the first one - I just did it, and had to work very hard for it,” the Queen said in the video call.
“It was a great achievement and I was very proud to wear the badge on the front of my swimming suit.
“It was very grand, I thought.”
When the Queen said it had happened “a long time ago,” deputy Commonwealth president of the society, Clive Holland, said: “Your Majesty, when you say it was a long time ago, it was in fact 80 years ago.”
“That’s terrible!”, Queen Elizabeth, 95, responded.
The Royal Life Saving Society works across 30 different Commonwealth countries, aiming to eliminate preventable death by drowning, promoting water safety and lifeguarding education.
Queen Elizabeth “virtually” presented Stephen Beerman with the King Edward VII Cup, awarded every two years in recognition of outstanding contributions to drowning prevention.
The Queen has been the patron of the Royal Life Saving Society since 1952.