Melplash couple's memories of spending time with Queen

Peter and Liz Jones of Melplash were honoured to meet the monarch on several occasions and remember her as being 'always good humoured' and able to put them at ease.

They were lucky enough to dine with the Queen - receiving an invitation for lunch at Windsor Castle.

Mr Jones even appeared on the front page of The Times with a beaming Queen clutching a pair of binoculars when she attended the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2003 - her first visit to the festival for 53 years.

The Queen's love of horse racing has always been well documented and Mr Jones - who was involved in horse racing and in a number of charities - first met the Queen at a lunch at the opening of a stand at Newmarket Racecourse.

He was later appointed chairman of the Tote and, in that capacity, in 1999 the couple were invited to join Her Majesty and Prince Philip at tea at Ascot, with just six people at the table. The following year they had an invitation to lunch at Windsor Castle.

Peter Jones (Image: Peter Jones)

Peter Jones receiving a CBE at Buckingham Palace in 2008

Mrs Jones said: "We expected there to be a lot of guests but found that there were just three house guests and ourselves with 19 people sitting down for lunch, all others being members of The Royal Family.

"Peter sat between The Queen and The Queen Mother with a wonderful painting of Queen Victoria above them and I sat opposite between Prince Philip and Prince Michael of Kent. "Following lunch we were taken to Ascot Racecourse in the maroon limousines through Windsor Great Park where four landaus waiting to take us together with members of the royal party to the Racecourse for Ladies Day."

Peter Jones became a star of the front page of The Times in 2003 alongside the Queen, the year after the Queen Mother died. The Queen Mother had presented the Cheltenham Gold Cup for many years on behalf of The Tote and, stepping in, the Queen took on the cup presenting duties.

Mrs Jones said: "We had another wonderful day with lunch in The Royal Box and an afternoon watching racing with the Royal party. The photograph of Peter with The Queen appeared on the front cover of The Times the following day."

Mr Jones was awarded a CBE by the Queen in 2008, an award which has also been given to his son, Nick Markham, in the Queen’s last Honours List.

Although all conversations with Her Majesty were private, horse racing was a common passion, Mrs Jones said.

"She was always very good humoured and put us at our ease. We both came from very ordinary backgrounds and have lived for most of the last 50 years at Melplash.

"We feel enormously proud and privileged to have enjoyed so many wonderful Royal occasions."