Sir John Major has shared his memories of his weekly meetings with the Queen and says it was a “shame” she was not a member of his cabinet.
On the first day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the former Prime Minister reflected on his one-on-one meetings with the monarch during his time in Downing Street.
He told Nick Robinson on his BBC Radio 4 show that during the one-on-one meetings he often wished her majesty was a minister in his government.
The comments come during the Platinum Jubilee weekend when the country turns out to celebrate 70 years of the Queen's rule.
The 79-year-old former Tory leader said: “I often came away from those meetings thinking to myself what a shame she isn’t in the cabinet. But I’m not sure she would’ve shared that view.”
“The one thing about the meetings with the Queen is that nobody’s there, just corgis behaving or not as the case maybe, but usually behaving.
“You can speak in absolute privacy, there’s no private secretary there, no notes were made. You can say exactly what you wish, exactly what is on your mind and so can the Queen.
“She’s good at asking questions, gently she asks the right questions and I think people would be surprised at the depth of knowledge she has of how people who are not close to the monarchy live in their own lives.”
He added the Queen’s exhaustive knowledge from a lifetime of service would have been helpful.
He added: “She knows a great deal about it and her questions are often very pertinent.
“It’s always very useful. It’s a completely external view from someone who knew politics, who had been looking at state papers for 28 years at the time I became PM, there was no one in the world who has ever seen as many state papers as the queen.”
The first day of the four-day weekend included the Trooping the Colour ceremony which kicked off the bank holiday celebrations.
It included more than 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians all taking place as they move down the Mall from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guard’s Parade.
There, members of the Royal Family joined on horseback and in carriages, whilst Prince Charles stood in for the Queen to inspect the troops on horseback.
It was concluded with the traditional RAF fly-past which was watched from the balcony of Buckingham Palace by the Queen and her family.
Those appearing on the balcony include Charles and Camilla and William and Kate, with their children, but not Harry and Meghan, who have not been invited to join the senior royals.
