A singer who was the last person to perform for the Queen has recalled what it was like seeing her this summer at Balmoral, saying Her Majesty was dignified until the end. Michaela Foster Marsh, 56, performed for Queen Elizabeth II at her beloved Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire on August 17.
Michaela, from Glasgow, sang alongside piper Bethany Bisaillion, who was the Queen's piper in Ottawa, Canada, and said she will treasure the memory for the rest of her life. She has described the Queen as a 'different person', looking very frail at the time, and knew in her heart it would be the last time she saw her.
The pair, who previously performed for the Queen in 2018 at Balmoral, sang a song in memory of Prince Philip. Michaela said they did not have an audience with the Queen but that she looked radiant and was 'supremely dignified'.
Michaela said: "It's very sad and very emotional, I have been really upset since yesterday. It's deeply upsetting.
"I was fortunate enough to perform for her three weeks ago at Balmoral, I was the last person to sing for her as far as I know.
"It was obvious she was very frail and I felt in my heart it would be the last time I would see her.
"I sang for her four years ago at Balmoral and seeing her recently, it was like a different person.
"She was still radiant and graceful but you could see she really wasn’t very well and her mobility wasn’t there.
"We performed a song for her in memory of Philip, it was deeply personal and very difficult to sing.
"I will have the memory of performing for her for the rest of my life and being able to sing for her will be something I take to the grave. It was such an honour.
"I spoke to her in 2018 but we didn’t have an audience with her this time, she watched the performance and then went back into the castle. She as always so gracious with her time."
As a child Michaela kept a picture of the Queen at her silver jubilee on a mirror in her bedroom - and she said she could never have imagined as a youngster she would go on to meet her.
"As a child I had a picture of her from her silver jubilee on my mirror in my bedroom," she explained.
"She was someone I always admired so much. I never imagined when I was a child I would get the chance to meet her and perform for her.
"I am still coming to terms with the fact I was the last person to sign for her, it’s something I will treasure forever. The whole country is in mourning.
"She was so dignified and graceful until the end – her dignity was supreme. We should celebrate her life, we are so lucky to have lived under her reign."
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