Queen Elizabeth Comforts Footman
19 November 2009
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Britain's Queen Elizabeth comforted one of her staff yesterday after he insisted on escorting her to the State Opening of Parliament - just days after his brother was killed in Afghanistan.
The monarch is said to have pleaded with senior footman Fraser Marlton-Thomas, 25, to take time off, after his sibling, bomb disposal expert Corporal Loren Marlton-Thomas, 28, died in an explosion in the war-torn Helmand province last weekend.
But Frasier - who was embraced by the monarch as he made his decision - was yesterday seen standing in full livery on a carriage carrying a lady in waiting and Master of The Horse, Lord Vestey, in the lavish procession.
A Palace source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "When Loren laid down his life for his comrades, it was the queen herself who was able to comfort a grieving brother.
She pleaded with Fraser to take more time to come to terms with the loss. But he is so devoted, he simply refused to be absent on her busiest day.
"She pleaded with Fraser to take more time to come to terms with the loss. But he is so devoted, he simply refused to be absent on her busiest day."
The queen wowed royal fans yesterday as she smiled from her golden carriage while traveling to the Houses of Parliament escorted by her Horse Guards.
Arriving for her ceremonial duties, the monarch wore an ivory brocade gown, gold shoes and matching handbag.
In the House of Lords, she wore her jewel-encrusted crown and sat in the grand throne with her husband Prince Philip by her side.
The queen's speech was just seven minutes long - making it the shortest at the State Opening of Parliament for 12 years.
In the speech, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown laid out his plans for the future and put social care for the elderly and restoring Britain's economy at the centre of his legislation.
The queen said: "My Government's overriding priority is to ensure sustained growth to deliver a fair and prosperous economy for families and businesses, as the British economy recovers from the global economic downturn."
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