There were a few concerns, Gyles Brandreth admits, when he was invited to preside over the spectacular 21-gun salute at Edinburgh Castle in honour of the Queen's 77th birthday.
"Although I come from an army family, my wife Michèle was anxious," the 76-year-old author, awardwinning podcaster, TV presenter and friend of Her Majesty exclusively tells HELLO!. "She said: 'Oh God, you're going to be very near the guns, Gyles? The reason you're not in the army is because you'll pop a champagne cork and flinch."
"But the good news is, I did not duck. I stood firm," he adds proudly.
He did, however, feel upstaged by members of the 12th Royal Artillery regiment taking part.
"I was standing on the podium and just behind me was the governor of the castle and he was wearing a bicorne hat with plumes, as well as his sword and spurs. And there was I in my M&S suit, not feeling quite the business." "She is passionate about literacy.
Denne historien er fra July 29, 2024-utgaven av HELLO! UK.
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Denne historien er fra July 29, 2024-utgaven av HELLO! UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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MEET THE MINI-ME MODELS
Their parents made their names in the worlds of fashion and film - now, we take a look at the new generation of catwalk stars following in some stylish footsteps
SCALING NEW HEIGHTS IN NEPAL
Ending their tour of this 'delightful country on a high note, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh charm locals in the foothills
LOVE IS ALL AROUND AS STARS LEND A HAND
Celebrities turn out to support Choose Love charity at glitzy Valentine-themed bash
A GATHERING OF ROYALTY
When Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark and Chrysí Vardinogiánni married in an intimate ceremony in Athens, it was cause for celebration for Europe's most distinguished families
'I THINK I'M PART BRITISH AT HEART'
Grammy Awardwinning singer Gregory Porter tells us why, of all his accolades, a chat with the Princess of Wales meant the most
A-LISTERS RAMP UP THE GLAMOUR
Celebrities turn heads at the Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica as Demi Moore accompanied by her exquisitely accessorised chihuahua - triumphs again
STARS AND SUPERMODELS
Some of the world's most fabulously famous packed the front rows - and the creatively curated catwalks for a busy New York Fashion Week
N.F.L. STARS SHOW THEY HAVE BAGS OF STYLE
Fashion fans watching the Super Bowl weren't just looking at the A-listers in the crowd; the players proved their sartorial credentials too
WHY THE A-LIST ARE FLOCKING TO THE COTSWOLDS
As celebrities from the Beckhams to Ellen DeGeneres join royals and billionaires in this elite enclave of the quintessential English countryside, we find out how it's turned into the British Beverly Hills
FULL STEAM AHEAD
As The White Lotus returns, its stars open up about on-screen kissing, sex scenes and nudity - including the risque moments they don't want their parents to see
