The owner of a butcher shop favoured by the Royals told how he saw the Queen three weeks ago and was shocked by her death. John Sinclair, 57, is the co-owner of HM Sheridan in Ballater, Aberdeenshire, and recalled the Queen once popping in for a chat.
The dad-of-two has worked there since 1981 and said he met the Queen around six times. Last time he saw her was three weeks ago when he arranged for a pipe band to perform for her.
John said she had been in the shop twice, once after flooding and another just to say hello. He said the Royals are able to be a normal family up north, and make their own tea and relax in jeans and Barbour jackets.
John said: "I met the Queen about six times, she's been in the shop twice, after the flooding and when she just popped in to say hello. The last time I met her was three weeks ago, she looked a bit frail but for a lady of 96 that's not surprising.
"She was quite cheery and she had a smile on her face. It was at the castle Highland Games, we introduced a game called Balmoral Stones and got two stones of 35kg each for people to carry 70 yards, one of the stones was engraved with the dates of the jubilee.
"We went up to the castle with Ballater and District Pipe Band, she met us and sat down and watched the pipe band. I was shocked, I saw her on Tuesday on TV and she looked a bit frail.
"You'd not expect someone to be working at 96, I still find it really hard to believe. The whole village is feeling pretty down. You don't know what the next generation will be like, this area would miss the Royal family if they didn't come back to Deeside.
"They have done a lot to support this area. Princess Anne comes in the shop regularly wearing a Barbour jacket and jeans.
"I think the Queen was quite low maintenance, up here they were just a normal couple and made their own tea. They are just a normal family as well."
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