First anniversary of Queen's death: Lady Mary Peters considered her 'a guide and mentor for us all'

"She was such a guide and mentor for us all. We’ve got a new King and Queen now and they’re doing an excellent job, but it’ll never be the same without Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I loved her.”

Just two days before she died the Queen swore in Liz Truss as Prime Minister.

Mary said: “She said when she took over the role as Queen of the Commonwealth that she would there for us for the whole of her reign and boy did she do that until the very end.”

She said the last time she had spoken to the Queen was at on June 13 last year at Windsor Castle when celebrating Garter Day.

Mary recalled: "She was just the same lovely lady you could have sat and talked to like you could sit and talk to your grandmother.”

Two months after the Queen’s funeral, Mary had the pleasure of welcoming the Queen’s daughter Princess Anne for a fundraising dinner to mark the 50th anniversary of the Belfast woman winning gold at the Munich Olympics.

She said: “Princess Anne came over, she’s the patron of my charity, she came over for the final fundraising dinner for my 50th anniversary year.

“I sat beside her at dinner and I said it was wonderful that she was able to accompany her mother from Balmoral through to Edinburgh and then down to Windsor.

"She said the most remarkable thing was having the horses lined up in the fields and the tractors as she went along accompanying her mum’s coffin.

"There was so much love from people all throughout the UK.”

Of the new monarch Charles III and his wife Camilla, Mary said: “I think it’s a very big challenge to take on at their ages, but he’s had plenty of training and a long time in waiting. Camilla even less time.

"I think along with the support of William and Kate they’re doing a brilliant job.”

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson also paid tribute to the late Queen on the first anniversary of her death.

The Lagan Valley MP commented: "On this first anniversary of her passing, we remember with affection our late Queen and all that she gave in service to our nation during her lengthy reign.

"Her Majesty is greatly missed by so many and this weekend, I will be thinking about her life and especially the many visits that she undertook to Northern Ireland, including her stays in Hillsborough Castle.”

He added: “Such is the impact she made on our lives that with each year that passes her legacy will grow stronger and our memories will grow fonder."

The Queen was also a figurehead for the Orange Institution who now swear allegiance to King Charles III.

A Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland spokesman said: “The anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II once again allows us time for reflection on her 70-year reign as monarch.

“We recall the profound sadness that news of her passing brought to the nation, however we are heartened that her legacy is undoubtedly one of selfless service to our nation which will never be forgotten.

“The late Queen’s unstinting Christian faith, her loyalty and devotion to her subjects, continues to stand as a tribute to her, while her strong and dignified leadership was an inspiration to us all.

“As a Loyal Institution, our thoughts are with King Charles III and the entire Royal Family as we remember them in our prayers on what will be an emotional day.”

Meanwhile, a banner featuring the late Queen – which belongs to Coote Memorial LOL 1921 – is understood to be the first laser printed banner to be carried by an Orange lodge.