Paul McCartney fondly remembers his meetings with Elizabeth II: “You will be missed”

“He impressed me with his great sense of humor combined with great dignity,” recalls the musicianThe British artist has been invaded by nostalgia and has wanted to share some anecdotesThe first of his meetings with the queen occurred in 1965 when members of The Beatles received the MBE”Looking back, I am honored and amazed to see that I met His Majesty eight or nine times and each time he impressed me with his great sense of humor combined with great dignity.” With these words McCartney, who considers himself a “fan” of the royal family, has expressed his love and respect for Elizabeth II. He fondly recalled how his relationship with Buckingham Palace began when, at just 10 years old, he won in Liverpool an essay contest on the British monarchy. At that time, he never thought that his professional career would lead him not only to meet Elizabeth II, but also to have nearly a dozen meetings with her during his more than 70-year reign. It was in 1965 when the first of the meetings that Paul McCartney fondly remembers. In October of that year, the members of The Beatles were appointed members of the Order of the British Empire. During the ceremony, the sovereign shook their hands, spoke with each of them and awarded them the medals. “We were told how to approach Her Majesty and not to speak to her unless she spoke to us. For four Liverpool boys, it was, Wow, hey man.” December 1982, to coincide again, this time at the Royal Albert Hall. That night he attended the evening ‘An Evening for Conservation’, accompanied by his wife Linda, during which orchestral versions of some of the British band’s hits were performed. “I remember chatting with His Majesty about them. He also reintroduced me to Prince Philip, who said he remembered our previous meeting in the sixties!” Years later, in 1996, a third meeting would come during the inauguration of the Institute of Liverpool Performing Arts, former McCartney School. One of the best days of your life Receiving your Knighthood from the British Empire is one of the best days of your life. “I was so honored to be offered a knighthood and of course it would have been rude to turn it down! I remember it was spring and the sky was blue. It was a wonderful day and I remember thinking I had come a long way from a small terraced house in Liverpool”. During Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee she had the opportunity to rock and roll in her garden. “As Her Majesty was on stage receiving applause at the end of the show, I joked: I guess this will still happen next year, to which she replied: Not in my garden!” On another occasion he became their guide during a visit to a painting exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, which he and John had visited many times when they were students.Paul McCartney with Queen Elizabeth II at the Walker Art GalleryGETTYIn June 2012, again at the Jubilee events, he performed for her again. “It was the first time I had performed in front of her since her last Jubilee, and seeing all the people spilling out into Pall Mall was great, as was meeting other members of the Royal Family. It was a great weekend to be British.” .His last meeting was in 2018, the year in which he received the ‘Companion of Honour’ medal. “When I was presented with the medal I shook her hand and leaned towards her and said: We have to stop meeting like this, to which she gave a small laugh and continued with the ceremony. I wondered if I had been too cheeky to say this, after all it was about the queen, but I have a feeling she didn’t care.” A story that McCartney concludes with “God bless him. You will be missed.”