Hastings grandfather told family of pride of meeting Queen and Prince Philip

A man has spoken of his late grandfather’s pride in meeting the Queen and Prince Philip when they visited Hastings in the 1960s.
By Richard Gladstone
Published 14th Apr 2021, 11:50 BST
The Queen and Prince Philip visiting Hastings in 1966. Picture from Oliver Carpenter-Beale SUS-210414-101825001The Queen and Prince Philip visiting Hastings in 1966. Picture from Oliver Carpenter-Beale SUS-210414-101825001
The Queen and Prince Philip visiting Hastings in 1966. Picture from Oliver Carpenter-Beale SUS-210414-101825001

Douglas Beale was one of a number of people who met Her Majesty and her husband on Hastings Pier in 1966.

His grandson, Oliver Carpenter-Beale, said: “My grandad Douglas was a Master Bowman with the Hastings and St Leonards Bowman archery club.

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“After serving in the Royal Engineers during the Second World War in India, he was recalled to Hastings to run the POW Camp at Grove House due to his wife Joyce being pregnant.

“Being a military man my grandad had a large sense of duty and pride for the Crown.

“I know that he was extremely proud to be a part of the Queen’s welcome to our town as a member of the Hastings and St Leonards Bowman.

“During the Queen’s visit she announced that they were now her Royal Archers, which I am told made other local attending archery clubs green with envy.

“Whether she said this tongue-in-cheek or not, my grandad and the club took it with great pride.”

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