Kensington Palace: starring Kristy

It seems, at times, that I have a rather odd job. Some of you may recall my failed attempt at driving a bendy bus in 2008. My equally odd highlight of 2009 was making a guest appearance at Kensington Palace!

I’d been having a series of meetings with a group of potential funders, when they asked me to come and present to their head honchos. Sure, I said! Where, I said? Kensington Palace, they said! (which made me wonder, just how ‘head’ are these head honchos?)

I admitted feeling a little intimidated by the invitation, only to be told that my presentation would be held in the very room that Queen Victoria was born in. I’m not sure how that was supposed to influence my mood, but it was followed with swift reassurances that the room ‘had been cleaned since then’… oh-kay…?

The meeting went very well. I noticed that I was the only person at the table obsessively using my notebook as a coaster so as not to leave rings on the Queen’s furniture (I can hear it now, ‘we are not amused’). The crowd was friendly, and they all spoke wonderful Queen’s English as one would expect.

By the time the meeting ended the Palace and gardens were closed to the public. A very sweet gentleman escorted me out, through security corridors and into the courtyard of apartments currently occupied by royals. It felt quite surreal, passing the security checkpoint and being spat out back into reality on Kensington High Street. It was a very brief brush with fame indeed.