• Sat. Jul 27th, 2024

The Queen’s visits across Oxfordshire over the years

Byoxfordnewspaper

Sep 13, 2022

One of the Queen's many visits to Oxfordshire came in 1998, when she attended a garden party at Milton Hill House, near Abingdon, to celebrate the diamond anniversary of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service.

Among the volunteers the Queen met at the party were those who helped mourners following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.

Read again: Work to pedestrianise Broad Street

Many provided refreshments to thousands of people who stood for hours waiting to sign the Books of Condolences in The Mall.

Oxford Mail: Photo: Oxford Mail Photo: Oxford Mail

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said that, as patron, the Queen was delighted to attend the party in June that year.

Read more: Street parties for the Silver Jubilee

The Queen toured the grounds of the house, planted a tree and cut an anniversary cake to celebrate the 60th birthday of the WRVS, at the time the UK's largest practical voluntary organisation boasting 120,000 members.

Read more from this author

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