I received this invitation through the post:

Before Covid struck, Ayr Writers Club (one of the biggest and most successful in Scotland) celebrated its 50th anniversary by nominating Sheila and I (both honorary Life members and Presidents many times over) to attend the Holyrood Garden party.

But it wasn’t to be; Covid meant the garden party was cancelled in previous years and we thought our chance had gone. Until the invitations were delivered.

So Sheila and I dressed up in our posh frocks and fascinators as per instructions from the Palace, checked we had our photo ID and invitation, and set off for Edinburgh. The heavens opened and all the rain we had been hoping for during that long hot spell decided to fall. And it didn’t stop. By the time we had trudged across the grass outside the Palace, queued up to get in and made our way to a marquee for shelter, we were soaked.

Fortunately, hot tea and goodies were on offer. We had been warned to expect tiny cucumber sandwiches but no, there was a magnificent spread of sandwiches, cakes and scones.  We tucked in as did the other 5,998 guests. Everyone was crowded in under the tents to keep out of the lashing rain, occasionally putting up a brolly and dashing over to another marquee. There we all were, dressed in our finery by now pretty damp, as the temperature plummeted and the rain continued to fall. 

The royal party weren’t due to arrive till 4.30 so we tried to keep warm by going for wee walks around the central area. We were just standing, wondering what to do next, when one of the Royal Company of Archers approached us to ask how we were doing and what we were representing. Being a bit of a double act, we told him all about Ayr Writers Club and what we wrote, so out came his notebook and he jotted down our names and other details.

‘Wait there!’ he ordered. ‘Don’t move!” And off he dashed.

A few moments  later, he was back to arrange us into a rough line and instructions to give a bob when royalty approached. And there she was, Princess Anne. Much smaller than expected but warmly dressed and carrying a large umbrella.

‘Hello, nice to meet you,’ says I shaking her hand and completely forgetting to bob. We told her about the 50th celebrations of the club and how our invitation had had to be postponed because of Covid. She was very easy to talk to and she said she knew Kilmarnock, where Sheila had lived until recently, as she’d competed in horse trials there. We had quite a long chat before she had to move on to the next couple. We were delighted at being picked to speak to her and celebrated by having another round of tea and cakes, the rain and cold all but forgotten.

By the time the Royals had returned inside the palace, we were even wetter and chilled to the bone, my ivory sling back shoes were sodden and covered in grass and our fascinators had been bent out of shape by the numerous umbrellas swiping at them. 

But we had had a wonderful time and a day to remember.