Sir Hugo Brunner, former Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, has shared his memories of the Queen.
Sir Hugo was Lord Lieutenant between 1996 and 2008. He was succeeded by Tim Stevenson.
Sir Hugo's family home was Greys Court in south Oxfordshire and he now lives in North Oxford with wife Mary Rose.
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As the Queen's official representative in Oxfordshire, Sir Hugo was responsible for arranging visits by members of the Royal family and escorting Royal visitors.
He accompanied the Queen on eight official visits during his period of office.
Sir Hugo said: "The Queen was always very dignified and easy to talk to.
"My experience was that if an organisation had something to celebrate the person they wanted to celebrate with was the Queen if possible."
The former Lord Lieutenant said one of the most memorable visits was when the Queen visited the Berinsfield estate near Wallingford in November 1997, after visiting Radley College.
She packed a lot in, visiting Berinsfield Health Centre, Mount Farm Community Education Centre, Berinsfield Primary School, Abbey Sports Centre, St Mary and St Berin Church, and a local newsagents where she was presented with a copy of the Oxford Mail.
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Sir Hugo said during her visit to Mount Farm the Queen took party in an aromatherapy session.
He was also present for the official opening of Henley's River and Rowing Museum in 1998 when he sat next to the Queen at lunch.
"She certainly didn't turn her back on me but she spent more time talking to Steve Redgrave," Sir Hugo added.
"She was always very much engaged with whatever she experienced."
One happy memory for Sir Hugo came at the end of his tenure a few weeks after he retired in 2008.
He and his wife Mary Rose were invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace for outgoing and incoming Lord Lieutenants.
They were assembled as a small group with the new Lord Lieutenant Tim Stevenson and his wife Marion, to await separate visits from the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen.
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Soon after Her Majesty joined them, Mary Rose addressed her: "Your Majesty, would you mind if I asked you a question?”.
On receiving the nod, she continued: "A friend is compiling a book of soup recipes in aid of a drop-in centre for homeless people in Oxford. She would like to mention your favourite soup. I wonder whether you have one."
The Queen, perhaps slightly surprised by the question, soon gave her response: "Thick soup".
And then she summoned the Master of the Household and asked: "What is my favourite soup?"
"Leek and potato, Ma’am," he replied.
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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF
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