"I'm so proud of her," said Paul Beshevenisky after his five-year-old daughter Lydia presented a posy to the Queen during the monarch's visit to Bradford. Wearing her favourite green dress, the little girl looked every inch a princess as she enjoyed the special moment alongside her dad and eight-year-old brother.
It was a poignant moment for the family, though, as they met the monarch just yards from where Lydia's WPC mum Sharon was shot by robbers 18 months ago, on the youngster's fourth birthday. Accompanying them was police liaison officer Cate, a recipient of the Queen's Police Medal, who has been helping Paul look after the kids since the tragedy - and at one point let Lydia try on her hat for size.
"I'm just a bit overwhelmed by it," said Paul of the royal encounter. "The kids, I think, have done very well. I'm very proud. Not many people get to meet the Queen do they? It's just unfortunate to meet under such circumstances. It just brings back so many memories of Sharon. She would have been so proud of them."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
