'Royalty dropped away' Angela Rippon on meeting the Queen and breaking royal protocol

express.co.uk:

Queen. As the Platinum Jubilee gets closer Angela has taken the time to reflect on their meeting at the Windsor Horse Show and how royal protocol was broken.Angela recalled meeting the Queen in a recent interview, as she was asked about her memories with the Royal family.She said: "My favourite memory of the Queen is at the Windsor Horse Show when an American friend of mine broke protocol, instigating a conversation with her."My friend instigated a conversation with the Queen and said ‘Your Majesty I saw you this morning with the horse drawn carriages’."It was wonderful to see the Queen’s face light up," Angela recalled.She went on: "It was ‘wind her up and let her go’, she couldn’t stop talking about something which is a passion of hers."She told us everything she knew about the horses, carriages, training and the joy and exhilaration of competing."It was lovely to see the Queen being herself and talking with genuine knowledge, enthusiasm and pleasure about something," Angela added.She continued to the Alzheimer’s Society: "It was as if somehow the mantle of royalty had dropped away and there she was, a carriage driving enthusiast."Angela has a strong involvement with the Alzheimer's Society and has done so since her mother was diagnosed with dementia in 2004.Speaking about her mother, Angela told Express.co.uk: "My late mother Edna, was diagnosed with vascular dementia back in 2003 or 2004, after my father's sudden death from a massive heart attack."At that time I knew very little about dementia, and I realised I needed a bit of help because I was going to be her primary carer right at the beginning."So I rang the Alzheimer's society, asked them for some help and advice and they were very, very supportive and since.