BRITAIN-ROYALS/COLLECTOR Queen of royal memorabilia excited to see Queen Elizabeth become Britain's longest serving monarch

Record ID: 140576

  • Title: BRITAIN-ROYALS/COLLECTOR Queen of royal memorabilia excited to see Queen Elizabeth become Britain's longest serving monarch
  • Date: 1st September 2015
  • Summary: POSTERS OF QUEEN AS YOUNGER WOMAN
  • Embargoed: 16th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4VJL7NE0FUDPSAS11RKH3OZOQ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Margaret Tyler's house is a shrine to Britain's royal family, both outside and in.
    On the front step two model corgi dogs and union jack flags greet guests, who might be surprised to see a life-size Queen's guard soldier standing sentry by the front-door.
    Each room of Tyler's house is dedicated to a member of the royal family.
    With Queen Elizabeth set to overtake Queen Victoria and become Britain's longest-serving monarch on September 9 it's not surprising that Elizabeth has two rooms all to herself.
    "This is my coronation area, all my coronation mugs are up there and this is where Her Majesty is in the window. When you come across here, this is the Jubilee Room. And I've got three jubilees in here, silver, golden and diamond and I just love all of it," Tyler told Reuters during a tour of her five-bedroomed house crammed to the rafters with royal memorabilia.
    Leaving the Jubilee Room, a door leads to the garage, but this is no home for a car.
    "And in here we have Queen Victoria who obviously Her Majesty is overtaking and this is her area and these are her descendants," said Tyler.
    As a young girl Princess Elizabeth never expected to become Queen. The abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII propelled her father to throne and the rest of her life was mapped out from that point on.
    In February 1952 King George VI died and Elizabeth became Queen.
    On September 9, she overtakes Victoria who reigned for 23,226 days.
    "It's marvellous, I mean she said when she was 21 whether her life be long or short she would be there for us and she has, she has kept her word and she will go on doing that, I am sure of that. So I think we are very lucky, I can't remember a time when she wasn't on the throne," said Tyler.
    Her vast collection of royal memorabilia ranges from expensive official china sets to the tacky and kitsch.
    Plates adorned with royal crests sit alongside solar-powered plastic waving Queen figurine and cartoon-style slippers depicting the Queen and Prince Philip.
    "She's just brilliant, she's just there for us, but quietly, steadily working, she does her red boxes every morning except Christmas morning, she just quietly gets on with it, she doesn't make a lot of fuss and noise and I think that's one of the nicest things about her," she said.
    Tyler's collection all started with a jumble sale decades ago when she spied a glass ashtray celebrating the Queen's coronation in 1953.
    "I just saw it and fell in love with it and they put it on one side for me," she said.
    "And it's grown from there, so although it only cost me two and a half pence, it's cost a lot more since, so you know. But it's a labour of love, I enjoy it, I like looking for things, I like cleaning them when I get them home, I just like everything about it. And I don't sell anything, I'm not a dealer, I'm a collector," she said.
    Tyler has met the Queen personally three times, even managing to give her a cake and flowers as gifts.
    No amount of royal memorabilia can eclipse the delight at seeing Britain's monarch in person.
    "It's absolutely fantastic, your heart is thumping when she gets nearer to you, you are so excited. I've given her a cake for her 80th birthday, I've given her flowers on two other occasions. Obviously she can't spend long with each person, but I'm just thrilled to be able to give them to her. And when she's gone past you are walking on air and it lasts for days, you can't come down to earth it's fantastic," said Tyler.
    Although the Queen will be in Scotland at her Balmoral Estate and doesn't plan any big parties, nothing will stop Tyler and her fellow royal fan friends from celebrating on September 9.
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