A PERSONAL meeting with the Queen in a private drawing room at Buckingham Palace was an unexpected honour for charity fundraiser Margaret Brown.

Mrs Brown, from Worcester, had been chosen to attend a special "pioneers" reception, after being nominated by the Evening News as someone who had made a difference in the community.

But she was amazed to find that she was one of a select few singled out for a private introduction to the Queen.

The next minute, Mrs Brown, from Rose Hill, found herself standing beside Falklands War veteran Simon Weston, Sir Cliff Richard, fashion designer Zandra Rhodes and wheelchair athlete Tanni Grey-Thompson.

"It was incredible. It was like a dream when I was led through to the White Drawing Room, to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh," she said.

"I've no idea how I was chosen, but I found myself second in line, between Sir Roger Bannister and Cheltenham inventor Peter Coates-Smith."

The Queen was interested in Mrs Brown's 28 years' service with Oxfam, during which she managed the charity's two shops in Worcester and helped to raise £2m.

"She asked me if I was assured that the funds raised reached the areas intended and I said I was happy about that, because Oxfam is accountable to the Charity Commission for its funds," said Mrs Brown, aged 66.

"The Queen was not at all intimidating.

"She was very pleasant, with a lovely smile and the Duke of Edinburgh also spoke to me.

"I couldn't believe it was really happening.

"A lady-in-waiting told me that the white drawing room is one of the Queen's favourite rooms, where she holds audiences with ambassadors and so on.

"It's not a room open to the public."

During the reception, Mrs Brown was introduced to the Duke of Gloucester and spoke to the former director of Oxfam, Dr David Bryer.

Other members of the royal family mingling with the guests included Prince Andrew, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Duke of Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Alexandra.

"I felt very honoured to be there," said Mrs Brown.

"I would like to pay tribute to the loyal team of Oxfam volunteers who worked with me over the years," she said.

As a mark of the Queen's genuine interest in her guests, Buckingham Palace has asked for copies of the Evening News' stories about Mrs Brown, saying that Her Majesty liked to see the newspaper cuttings after such events.

n Opinion: P6