Mary Berry once turned down Queen to do Lincs cooking demo

Talking to the BBC on the eve of the state funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II, national treasure and baking sensation Dame Mary Berry shared her experiences with the Queen. Including when she chose a Lincolnshire cooking demo over a reception with Her Majesty.

Mary said she was "in the kitchen" when she heard the news the Queen had died. She described the moment saying, she "grabbed a chair" while thinking about how only days ago the queen had been greeting the new Prime Minister.

"I wonder whether she knew she was fading then but she was as bright and beautiful and that huge smile... and just two days later she was no longer here. She was gone to join Philip."

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Mary described how she had met the Queen - though she admitted to being double booked when the Palace called her to have lunch with Elizabeth II. "They gave me a date, I looked in my diary and said I'm really, really very sorry I've promised to do a demonstration at a hall in Lincolnshire."

Presenter Kirsty Young was gobsmacked she had turned down the invitation in favour of the demo, but Mary explained that it's the way she is, as she had already agreed to do the demo and people had bought tickets. Luckily for Mary, she was given an alternative date, she described her lunch including meeting the Queen's famous corgis, which were fed treats from a small box at the lunch.

Speaking about the Queen's legacy she said: "I think she has given us a great example to follow, for everybody in the UK, she's put her family first, she's thought of the country and has continued with her religious faith and she has set such an example. Whatever situation she's in there's that huge smile."
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