British Airways pilots, cabin crew and ground staff – past and present – released a special little message for the Queen ahead of her official celebrations as the longest reigning Monarch.
Her Majesty The Queen will officially become the UK’s longest reigning Monarch on 9 September when she celebrates 63 years in service.
To commemorate the special occasion, British Airways gathered staff that had the honour of flying the Queen for a special photo message.
Wearing the uniforms they would have worn when they flew with The Queen, 30 crew gathered at Terminal 5 yesterday to raise a flag in honour of Her Majesty reaching this historical milestone.
Bob Godfrey, 79, a retired chief steward, who was pictured in 1972 greeting The Queen as she stepped off a flight from Heathrow to Turkey, said he had flown the Queen on two separate occasions once in 1972 and 1990.
“We all felt so proud when we boarded the aircraft and couldn’t believe our Queen would shortly be coming on board.”
Bob Godfrey
Jane Ainley, 47, long-haul cabin crew, who served The Queen on the flight home from Perth following her state visit to Australia in 2011 said it was a thrilling opportunity to not only fly with royalty but be on the first non-stop flight between Australia and the UK.
“My father also had the honour of carrying The Queen on a flight from Heathrow to Vancouver back in 1963 so I felt rather emotional when I was given the opportunity to follow in his footsteps,” she explained.
British Airways has also released photographs from its Speedbird Heritage Centre, including the first telegram sent to Her Royal Highness as Queen.
On January 31, 1952, British Airways’ predecessor, BOAC, flew Her Royal Highness, the Princess Elizabeth to East Africa on the first stage of a Commonwealth tour. A week later, following the death of her father His Majesty King George VI, she was flown back on a BOAC Argonaut as Queen Elizabeth II.
The British Airways museum has the original telegram received on the flight home from the Queen Mother to her daughter, which read:
To: Her Majesty The Queen
All my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Mummie
Buckingham Palace
The message was received over the radio, written directly into the Captain’s log-book and then copied out by hand onto a BOAC signal form, before being presented to Her Majesty.
The airline also has a copy of the original flight path plan, which is topped with the image of a crown to depict the flight The Queen returned to the UK on.
The Captain’s original log-book remains in the British Airways Speedbird Heritage Centre which notes that Her Royal Highness, Princess Elizabeth was on board on January 31 and yet the aircraft that returned was carrying the new Queen.
