Queen Elizabeth II: Royal footman remembers 'smiling' monarch

Andrew Renouf served the royal family as a member of its household staff

A former royal footman who worked at Buckingham Palace has shared his memories of the Queen.

Andrew Renouf, who now lives in Plymouth, began working for the Royals in 1976 as a member of the household staff.

He was involved in several large events, including the Queen's Silver Jubilee procession.

Remembering the event, he said the support for Her Majesty could be heard across London.

Andrew Renouf was awarded a silver jubilee medal, which was awarded to household staff at the time

He said: "Being a footman meant I was part of the Queen's entourage, so that meant that wherever the Queen moved residence, then footmen would always go as well.

"I was on the second last carriage, the noise was just overwhelming and it just never stopped from the moment we left the palace until we got to St Paul's."

Andrew Renouf was there to help the newlyweds arrive at Buckingham Palace in 1981

Mr Renouf was there to witness another historic occasion for the Royal family when he helped the newlyweds, the then Prince of Wales and Princess Diana, arriving at Buckingham Palace in 1981.

"To find that I had my photograph in the national press, you know... [it] is something that I can treasure because I can say I was there," he said.

Andrew snapped a photo of the Queen at a staff event

Andrew also took a photograph of the Queen during a staff event at Balmoral.

He said it captured the Queen and Duke in a natural setting.

"It's one of those moments, it shows the Queen smiling, it also shows Prince Philip behind having a real good laugh as Prince Philip could," he said.

Andrew Renouf welled up when revealing his final duty to Her Majesty

After 23 years since serving the Royal Family, Mr Renouf feels he has one final duty to carry out.

"It is our intention to travel to London to try and get in the queue for the lying in state, just to go back for one last bow, basically."