Paul Whybrew joined senior members of the royal family today in the Queen's funeral procession as Her Majesty's coffin circled the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace. Paul was one of the late monarch's most senior and loyal aides - who worked by the side of the Queen for more than forty years.
Paul, 63, walked solemnly behind the coffin as it reached the Palace, where other members of the royal household staff bowed and curtsied as it passed by. Members of the royal family, including King Charles III, remained expressionless as they marched behind, while other members of the royal family, including the Princess of Wales, looked on at the crowds as they passed them in vehicles.
Her Majesty's Page of the Backstairs had a special nickname while he was considered one of the "the most powerful" aides because the Queen highly valued their relationship. Here, we take a look at the key role he played during a Palace intrusion and how his devoted service was honoured by the Queen:
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Nickname
Paul Whybrew is also otherwise known by his nickname 'Tall Paul'.
Not only is this due to standing at 6ft 4in, it has also been used to distinguish Paul and his former colleague ‘Little Paul’ Burrell, who he towered over.
Heroic gesture
As Her Majesty's Page of the Backstairs, the 63-year-old worked closely with the household for more than 40 years, earning the Queen's utmost respect.
A stand-out moment of his unquestionable dedication to service was amid an intruder in the Queen's bedroom.
Back in 1982 on July 9, Paul played a key role in one of the most notorious royal incidents when an intruder broke into Buckingham Palace and made his way into the Queen's bedroom.
Once the alarm was raised, it was the Queen's page that came to the rescue.
Paul wrestled and escorted the 33-year-old London-born unemployed man, Michael Fagan, away from the Queen and tried to calm him down by navigating him to the butler's pantry - where he offered him a whisky before the police arrived.
Special gift
Paul achieved his own furnished quarters at a house near Albert Lodge in Windsor Great Park.
When the Queen turned 80 in 2006, she decided to spend more time at Windsor Castle and requested he moved there too.
He gave up his old flat above the old stables at Kensington Palace and moved into the new place, which was renovated to his liking and paid for by HRH.
"The Queen told him to decorate it to his taste and send her the bill. She said she wanted him to be comfortable," a royal insider told the Mail.
In the Queen's final days at Balmoral, he spent hours watching her favourite sport with her and delivered her daily edition of the Racing Post for her as usual.
