An actor's encounter with a real-life Princess... For Sunday Miscellany on RTÉ Radio 1, listen to Di and I, by Chris McHallem above...
I was in the BBC canteen when June Brown, known to the world as Eastenders legend Dot Cotton, slid into the seat beside mine.
"Hope you haven't got plans for the weekend," she said. "They’re looking for you on the second floor."
The second floor was the home of the PR department.
"The London cab drivers are having their annual bash for under-priveliged children on Sunday," Gilly told me. "It’s in a hotel in town and I thought that you might like to go."
"What made you think that ?"
"Well to be honest," Gilly said, "they really wanted one of the girls, but they’re all busy."
And so, the following Sunday, I went along and made myself known to the organisers.
There were a few other actors, a couple of kids TV presenters and I shook hands with a rather grumpy England cricketer.
The charity’s PA asked for our attention. She had some important news …
She told us that grateful as the organisers were for our time and enthusiasm, a more famous, more vital guest was on her way; this was a woman so famous that her attendance had been guarded until now, with a secrecy worthy of the nuclear codes.
The Princess of Wales was about to arrive.
Listen to more from Sunday Miscellany here.
