AISHA VISITS BUCKINGHAM PALACE!

This year, Aisha has been working hard on the Baden Powell Award for Girl Guides.  She has completed a number of challenge badges, attended World Thinking Day at Pax Lodge (one of the 4 world guiding centres), camped under canvas, made a bivouac and spent the night in it alone, then made a campfire breakfast the following morning.  She has also worked with the Coppett's Wood conservation group and continues to do so, undeterred by her accident (click here to read about it).  To finish off, Aisha is running an evening for her Guide unit about disabilities and is then attending a BP challenge weekend in January with other Guides who have been working towards this award. 

In the meantime, Aisha has been working on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Challenge award, which must be completed in 2012.  To earn the award, Guides have to complete a number of challenges including one relating to royal transport and staff.  Aisha felt she was pretty well versed on the transport side of things:

• Her friends the Boulters in Canberra own a vintage car the Queen travelled in during her 1956 visit to Australia (thanks Boulters!);
• She stood long hours on the Mall watching the Queen, other royals and heads of state passing by in royal carriages and posh cars to and from William and Kate's wedding;
• She stood more long hours (in the cold) at Waterloo Bridge to watch the Queen go by on her royal barge Spirit of Chartwell, for the Jubilee pageant;
• She watched (on TV - she was tired after all the jubilee standing around!), the Queen and other royals in more posh cars heading to St Paul's Cathedral for a service of celebration and then home in a carriage procession before a Fly Past by the Red Arrows, who she has seen performing live twice;
• She saw (on TV again!) the Queen's guards on foot and on horse back trooping the colours before the Queen rode in a carriage back to Buckingham Palace at the head of her Guards, to take the salute at the Palace from a dais.

So, she quickly decided she needed to learn more about staff!

Sally was aware that there were a few Australians working at Buckingham Palace. With this in mind, Aisha wrote a letter to one of them, asking about their work. It was a lovely surprise when Aisha was contacted and asked if she would like to come to Buckingham Palace to discuss her project and ask her questions in person!

Lots more questions then arose. What arrangements needed to be made? How were we going to make it happen when Aisha was supposed to be at school camp in Oxfordshire that day? (the organising teacher was great - her backpack travelled ahead and arrangements were made for Aisha to join them after her visit). How does one conduct one's self at the palace? Was Aisha brave enough to conduct an 'interview' in person? (Aisha was actually very keen and prepared herself well.) But most importantly....

What would she wear?!! 

Clothing quickly became an issue as Aisha seems to have gone through a growth spurt without telling us and nothing fitted. In the end with a combination of Mum's shoes and shirt, and a skirt that fitted after all, she looked the part!

Not happy - too big and
I've never worn a below the knee skirt before!

Happier and ready to go!

Aisha travelled independently by tube to the palace and it was one very grown up young woman who emerged from the Underground to meet Sally at Green Park. From there they walked to the palace and took time to snap some photos.

All grown up!

I'm going in there!

Police at the front gate checked our documents and then sent us through. We walked across the forecourt and were met at the door by men in coat tails who greeted us, took our coats (and Aisha's glamorous camp day pack) and ushered us into a beautiful waiting room. Aisha caught up on the activities the royals were to attend over the next couple of weeks by reading the schedule on a side table. We were then met by Samantha who showed us to her office.... "Wow" was the reaction from Aisha as she looked around this lovely large room complete with antique furniture and large oil paintings.

The interview went really well and Aisha and Sally were fascinated to learn about Samantha's work - how she is one of three staff who take turns to shadow the Queen wherever she is - Buckingham Palace, Sandringham, Windsor, Balmoral and on international trips. They prepare all the documentation for signature that goes into the red box which the Queen receives daily. Their days and guests are very varied, depending on the Queen's schedule.

Aisha asked questions about how Samantha juggles being a parent and how it feels to be an Australian working at the Palace. The Queen is apparently a lovely employer, maternity leave was available and while there is juggling to do, Samantha has a husband who assists and she is able to work it out.  At Christmas time, the Queen personally thanks each of the 500+ staff at the palace and gives them a Christmas pudding and another lovely gift!  The Queen likes Australians and appreciates having people from around the Commonwealth working with her and contributing an "outside the UK" perspective.

It was lovely for Sally to watch Aisha conducting herself so politely and enthusiastically. Samantha said she was impressed Aisha had noticed the Queen's Standard was not flying and understood this meant she was not in the palace (most people mistakenly think that if the Union Flag is flying the Queen is present), and of Aisha's knowledge of the monarchy (it continues to be a passion / obsession!). 

Aisha's visit to Buckingham Palace was an immense privilege and a wonderful experience. More than this, it was a big eye opener for a kid from the Canberra suburbs. If an Australian graduate can apply for a position, advertised in the papers, at the palace and end up working with the Queen, the sky is the limit for someone like Aisha!  It was definitely one even more grown up young woman who did a quick change of clothes at Paddington Station and waved goodbye to her Mum as she headed off to Oxfordshire for three days of camping...in the rain!

We've been in there!