While we were getting our house rebuilt, the queen had invited the whole family to stay over at her palace for a couple weeks.

Before I had met her I had despised her as a stuck up pompous person, but during our stay she turned out to be a very cordial and personable hostess.

I also discovered that she was a very intelligent and wise person who through long discussion in front of the royal fireplace made me feel much better about myself and life in general.

When the house was completed and we returned to live in our humble abode, I became a fanatic fan of the royal family, hung up posters and flags all over the place, and taped every single television and radio program on which the queen appeared.