A little girl who has spent most of her life on chemotherapy was invited to Windsor Castle for tea with the Queen.
Olivia Taylor has a brain tumour which has left her blind but she leapt up to say “Hello, your Majesty!” as she met Queen Camilla. The seven-year-old tried her first cup of tea as part of her visit to Windsor.
She was invited after the Queen learned Olivia had performed with a choir at Buckingham Palace as part of the pre-recorded King's Christmas broadcast.
Olivia, part of the Bexley Music Primary Choir, gave the Queen a preview during their tea inside Windsor Castle's White Drawing Room. She stood up and sang Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, receiving a round of applause.
Her teddy “Corrie” – which she was given around the time of the King's coronation – had a seat of her own at the table. The family, from Sidcup, south-east London, posed for a photo with the Queen, before Olivia and her four-year-old sister Imogen gave a curtsey.
At the end of the meeting, the Queen hugged and kissed the sisters goodbye and asked Olivia's parents to keep her informed of her progress.
The Queen added: “She's been such a brave little girl, I'm so glad to have met her.”
Olivia's mum, Lisa, described the White Drawing Room to Olivia before the Queen arrived – which is where the Paddington Bear scene was filmed with the late Queen Elizabeth II as part of the platinum jubilee celebrations.
After the meeting, Olivia said she “loved meeting the Queen” and the afternoon was “really, really good”. Ms Taylor described meeting the Queen as “absolutely amazing”
— CutC by bbc.com
