Broadcaster Fae Ellington remembers Royal visits
Published:Thursday | September 8, 2022 | 1:33 PM
When veteran broadcaster Fae Ellington was asked to orate the Royal visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip to Jamaica in 1983, she knew her position in media had evolved and her work and talents recognised as not many were given such an opportunity.
"When you have a visit such as the Queen or head of state, if you are not asked to work then you realise that you are not good enough because that is when they use the best speaker," she said.
This was Ellington's first coverage of a Royal visit. At the time, she was 30-years-old and had recently given birth to her son and recalled the many meetings of preparation which she had to attend, some of which she attended while nursing her infant.
However, Ellington was dedicated to the job and was appreciative of the opportunity.
Ellington has orated three of the Queen's six state visits in 1983, 1994 and 2002.
The Queen first visited the island in 1953, other visits were in 1966 and 1975.
READ:The Queen visits Jamaica for the first time since Independence
In 1994, Ellington was presented to The Queen alongside other media personnel. She holds dear a photograph of the occasion which she will reveal in her memoir when published.
Despite having the opportunity to meet her face to face, Ellington said she never once felt intimidated. Instead, she saw her as the fellow human being she was and not as her position.
“The lady, as a person, I think she seems to be a nice person and when I met her, she was in her own way warm. I didn't find that she was standoffish, I looked her straight in the eye, I wasn't in the deep curtsying so I just nodded my head,” she said.
Queen Elizabeth II died at Scotland's Balmoral Castle Thursday. She was 96.
READ: It happened this week in 1983
-Asha Wilks
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