My last blog promised you tales of our occasional encounters with the now King. Even if you’ve had enough insights into the House of Windsor this week I’m still going to let you into a few secrets of my own. More interesting than those of H&M but much more truthful…well, my truth anyway.
The first time: my ad agency had done a successful marketing campaign for 1982’s Royal Tournament and because the Prince of Wales was Patron of the Royal Tournament Rosie and I were invited to attend a Garden Party at the Palace the following year. And, presumably because of the show’s record audiences, I was selected to stand in line and shake a Royal Hand. The two Royals on duty were the Prince and Princess of Wales…I drew the short straw and met instead the future king. Can’t recall if words were exchanged though I do remember looking a prat and the size of the Moss Bros bill.
Not long afterwards Rosie and I began Pots and Pithoi, importing terracotta from Crete, and in 1990 Rosie found herself featured on the cover of Country Living. This time luck was definitely on our side as Princess Diana saw the magazine and showed it to her husband. He fancied a few pots for Highgrove, later bought several more and before we knew it we’d been awarded a Royal Warrant.
But by 1995 there was trouble at t’mill and we opened the newspaper to discover the Prince of Wales’s Christmas card. No Diana but to our delight the two children standing in our pots. We couldn’t resist: if you were lucky you’d have got one of our cards that year…if not here it is.
In the late 90’s we exhibited at the Chelsea Flower Show and in 1998, because we were one of his Warrant Holders, Prince Charles visited our stand. This time we did speak. Standing beside a four foot high pot, he asked how they were made. Quick as a flash I said by genetically-engineered long-armed Cretans. He chuckled (politely) while Rosie, sensibly, gave him the correct answer.
Later that year the Prince had his 50th birthday. The Cardiff Business Club, of which he was Patron and knowing he liked our pots, decided to present him with one. They asked it shouldn’t be like any he’d already got at Highgrove and so we suggested, to make it extra unique, it should be inscribed around the rim, just like the Cretans traditionally do for special occasions. It took ages for the wording to be agreed, leaving time short for the making, firing and transportation, so three were made to guard against breakages en route. All arrived intact, the best is in Highgrove’s garden and my lips are sealed on the whereabouts of the other two.
One of the perks of being a Warrant Holder is to be invited to Highgrove, meet the Prince and to tour the garden. To prove we were there in 2000 the official photographer managed to snap Rosie’s handshake and my nose.
Our final arm’s length encounter was in 2005, the year Charles and Camilla got married. As Warrant Holders we were sent a piece of his wedding cake…still looking edible to this day and no doubt worth a bob or two now.
So there you are. Reminiscences to rival Netflix’s. But hey, it’s Christmas, time to be cheerful. In case the striking postmen have failed to deliver our card to you, here it is:
And as Christmas is the season for silly puzzles, here’s mine. Spot the Dog. He’s in every picture, somewhere. If you fail to find him, you’d best get a prize at Specsavers.
Happy Christmas!
