She always made everybody feel very special yet she was the special one: Dame Mary Peters on The Queen

The gold medal winning athlete who has in recent days been celebrating the 50th anniversary of her triumph in Munich said she has been overwhelmed by emotion following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

She said: “I had taken a friend to the airport on yesterday morning who had been over sharing the celebrations [of the 50th anniversary of Mary’s gold medal in Munich].

“When I got home I switched the television on and the news came through that the family were all going to Balmoral because the Queen was gravely ill.

“I sat watching the whole afternoon and evening. I hoped she passed away quietly and comfortably, bless her.

“She looked so small and delicate welcoming the new prime minister on Tuesday, to find the energy to do that was remarkable.”

Mary was at Hillsborough Castle to lay flowers this morning: “I wanted to pay my respects. I’m just taking things quietly because we’ve had all the excitement of my own celebrations, also so many people are contacting me because they know I knew her personally.

“I feel a bit overwhelmed by the emotion of it all because I loved her so much and she will be sorely missed.”

In 2019 the NI athlete had been appointed a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter, one of the highest honours awarded by Her Majesty.

Mary said she last met the Queen on June 13 this year at Windsor Castle when celebrating Garter day.

Mary said: “I was lucky enough to have a few minutes privately with her.

“She was talking about the Paddington sketch and she was smiling about that. She told me that her American grandson Archie had woken just in time to see the flyover (part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations).

“It was just a little intimate chat and then we went into lunch and then the Garter celebrations continued but Her Majesty stepped back.

“The time before that when we had a private meeting was when I was appointed to be a Lady of the Garter. I had 20 minutes of a private audience at Buckingham Palace.

“We don’t discuss what we talked about but it was in relation to Northern Ireland. She was very up to date with what was happening here.

“We talked about family. The prime minister then was Teresa May, we talked about her. It was just a lovely chat in the sitting room which was very special.”

Mary cast her mind back to the first time she met the Queen: “My first memory was 1968 following the Olympic Games in Mexico. The team were invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace where we had fun and laughter with her.

“Another occasion was in Christchurch, New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games (in 1974), it was my final competition, I was nearly 35.

“I had been invited to carry the Northern Ireland flag at the closing ceremony. I chose a Canadian discus thrower, who was the tallest man in the games, to carry me on his shoulders so the Northern Ireland flag would be higher than any other. As we walked around the closing ceremony he curtsied to the Queen with me on his shoulders.”

Mary, a former Lord Lieutenant of Belfast, said: “Luckily having been Lord Lieutenant and for various other reasons through sport and charities I’ve met The Queen on many occasions – the thing that surprised me most was she always knew my name.

“It was always joyous to welcome her to Northern Ireland. She was always gracious and interested in what was going on. She was accompanied by Prince Philip on most occasions and he was such fun to be with.

“At Crumlin Road Gaol I was asked to hang back with Prince Philip because they wanted Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness to show The Queen round because they had been in prison there.

“I walked with Philip and he was full of funny stories.

Mary added: “The Queen was an inspiration, I loved and adored her. She was remarkable for the 70 years devoted service she has given to the country. She always made everybody feel very special yet she was the special one.”