Hundreds of guests were invited to the Queen's garden party at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, but only a select number were able to speak to the monarch. One lucky lady Laura-Ann Barr, a mother-of-two from Northern Ireland, managed to catch Her Majesty's attention by doing a very simple but genius act – offering her a bouquet of flowers. Well, who could resist?
The monarch, 93, actually broke her own protocol as she doesn't usually stop to accept flowers when walking through lanes at a garden party. The sweet moment, which has since gone viral, was captured on camera by Laura-Ann's mother and Laura-Ann later shared it on Instagram.
Video: The Queen accepts flowers from garden party guest Laura-Ann Barr
"I didn't see anyone else with flowers, I suppose it's not really meant to be done at a garden party but I was only going to have one chance of meeting the Queen and I was going to give it my all," Laura-Ann told HELLO!. "I bought them at the tube station flower shop that morning and had them in my handbag going through the gates.
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"While we were waiting for Her Majesty to come out we did get talking to the security at the royal tea tent entrance. They did inform me that unfortunately she would not stop to accept them as it's not protocol, but if I'm lucky her lady-in-waiting might spot them and accept them on her behalf... I think they were very shocked when it happened!"
Security were shocked that the Queen stopped to accept the flowers
Laura-Ann added: "It was very surreal. I really didn't think I would get the opportunity but she smiled so warmly at me and thanked me very much. There were 8,000 people there and I honestly couldn't believe my luck. She was walking towards me and happened to look up and briefly made eye contact. At that point I curtsied and loudly said, 'Your Majesty I have some flowers for you.' It was deadly silent, everyone was watching her and all you could hear were camera shutters snapping!
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Laura-Ann Barr attended the garden party on Thursday
"Once I spoke and curtsied I don't think she could have walked past me, everyone was watching and everyone heard it! She popped her umbrella in her other hand and put her hand out and approached me with a very charming smile and thanked me! I told her she looked beautiful in pink and she smiled again."
The Queen's lady-in-waiting then took the flowers and explained to Laura-Ann that she couldn't carry them but would enjoy them later. "Even the security staff congratulated me and said they were surprised she stopped and accepted the flowers," said Laura-Ann. "They said that had not happened ever before!"
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