The Queen and Me
By Jack Lewis Hiller
 Sam Robinson meeting the queen outside the church at Jamestown. Shown also is Prince Philip. Photo, taken on Oct.16, 1957, is from a brochure published by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities titled "The Mother-in-Law Tree" by Sam Robinson, Sexton, The Jamestown Church, Jamestown, VA. |
I was then on the staff of the Jamestown-Williamsburg-Yorktown Celebration Commission. The commission was created by Congress to support the efforts of the Virginia 350th Anniversary Commission organized to lead the celebration. As administrative assistant to the assistant director of the federal commission, my job was public relations. I distributed brochures, guided reporters through Jamestown's history, wrote press releases, responded to inquiries from the public and appeared before civic groups to present the history of Jamestown and describe the celebration plans.
Highest among the many high points of the year's events was the arrival of the queen and Prince Philip. In anticipation, there were plenty of advance visits and protocol reviews by State Department and security officials. The State Department provided a list of "dos and don'ts" in case any of the staff actually met the queen, including one should not initiate conversation with the queen. If the queen chooses to speak one may respond. One may curtsy or bow to the queen if one chooses, but it is not expected of Americans.
First on the royal couple's itinerary was the church on Jamestown Island. The church was built in 1907 over the foundation of a 17th-century church to honor the 300th anniversary of the colony. The limousine that would carry the queen and Prince Philip practiced driving up to the short walk leading from the gate to the entrance of the church tower (believed to have been built in the 1630s), then circled around to the side entrance where it was planned the queen would emerge to be greeted by Sam Robinson, a rotund grounds keeper. Sam had acquired some local fame with his colorful story about the "mother-in-law" tree that had grown between the tombs of the Rev. James Blair and his wife Sarah Harrison Blair, thus pushing them apart. The queen and prince would then reenter the car and be taken to Jamestown Festival Park on the mainland to visit British and American exhibits, the reconstructed fort and three ships.
But alas, "the best laid plans of mice and men . . ." as Bobbie Burns once wrote. Someone discovered the queen was sitting in the right rear passenger side of the limousine. That would mean when she exited the vehicle the car would be between her and the church. Protocol required that she be able to exit directly onto the walk to the church without passing in front of or behind the car. What to do? The obvious solution would be to radio the police escort and direct them to go around the church in reverse of what had been practiced and bring the limousine to the front gate, so the queen's door would open directly onto the path. But that would create great confusion among those not in on the change, including the limo driver. The decision was made to stick with the original plan. The queen would just have to walk around the car.
The moment arrived. The limousine pulled up to the church gate. Prince Philip opened his door and quickly got out, then went around the car to open the door for the queen. He escorted her around the car. There she was-the Queen of England-here, at Jamestown, 15 feet in front of me. Dignitaries from the Virginia Episcopal Church, The Association of Virginia Antiquities, The Colonial Dames and the National Park Service were lined up on both sides of the entrance. Some of the ladies began to curtsy. I swear I heard the cracking of knees. My eye suddenly met the eye of a man staring at me intently. I'm not sure to this day why he was watching me. I figure either he was Scotland Yard or Secret Service, or I just forgot to remove my hat in the queen's presence. She did not seem to mind.
A short service was held and the queen and her party emerged from the side entrance where Sam was waiting. The queen smiled and nodded. Sam repeated in heavy accent his story of the mother-in-law tree for the umpteenth time. The photographers in my charge went wild. The queen extended her hand to Sam, whispered something to him and then turned toward the waiting car. What she said Sam would never reveal. That was a secret he shared with the Queen of England.
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