Queen's Pageant master will never forget Platinum Jubilee

The Queen's pageant master said he would "never forget" the Queen thanking him during one of her last engagements.

Bruno Peek, who lives in Gorleston, Norfolk, oversaw the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

He was with the Queen at Windsor Castle for the start of the lighting of 3,000 beacons around the world.

The ceremony on 2 June "was so personal, there were very few people there", Mr Peek said.

Beacons from Australia to Zambia were illuminated to mark the occasion with a central sculpture set ablaze in London.

Mr Peek had previously organised events and beacon chains to mark the millennium, the Queen's Golden and Diamond Jubilees as well as her 90th birthday.

"She's been a big part of my life for almost 30 years," he said.

He described her death as "a real shock, it really did hit me".

Mr Peek said the Queen had "been such a wonderful example for us all, she led from the front without any fault or favour for 70 years and we're going to miss her".

Mr Peek described the beacon lighting for the Platinum Jubilee as "really quite emotional".

He said: "Because of her health, we weren't really sure if she would be able to come to Buckingham Palace to light it as she had done previously.

"A week beforehand, I got this phone call to say she would like to do it at Windsor Castle."

Mr Peek said the Queen did look frail but "she still looked so regal and she had that wonderful smile on her face that she always gave me".

"As we were walking back, as she was leaving, she turned around and give me that smile and said 'thank you' and I'll never forget that," he said.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]