HRH Queen Camilla can add member of the Stationers’ and Newspaper Makers Company to a growing list of accolades and honorary titles, following a ceremony at Stationers’ Hall. She qualifies through her work to promote literacy.
The event attended a strong turnout from members of the livery company. In it the Queen was cloathed by Master Doug Willis in the gown of the livery. Two former Masters, Helen Esmonde and Moira Sleight, had sponsored the Queen. They are the first women Masters of the Company in its 600-year history.
Her Majesty was shown around the Hall, meeting other Stationers and those associated with the livery. This included Zachery Welsh, a pupil at the Leigh Stationers’ Primary Academy in south London, who presented the Queen with a copy of A Shakespearean Botanical, written by Stationer Margaret Willes in a copy bound by Matt Stockl who had enjoyed the Queen’s Royal Bindery Apprenticeship Scheme at Windsor Castle’s library.
She also met members from of the Armed Forces whose charities are supported by the Stationers’ Foundation.
The visit included the recently opened library which holds the archive of the Company, included the copyright registers dating back to 1623 with the entry for Shakespeare’s First Folio, a copy of which is also part of the collection.
The ceremony was attended and witnessed by the Rt Honorable the Lord Mayor of London Alderman Alastair King DL, Sheriff Alderman Greg Jones KC, Alderman Vincent Keaveny CBE, First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins KCB OBE RM, Lord Sedwill GCMG, the Rt Honourable the Lord Boateng CVO PC DL, the City Rememberer Paul Wright and editor in chief of the Independent Geordie Greig.
The royal connection to print includes the Queen’s husband who has followed his late mother has patron of the Print Charity and who, as Prince of Wales, was president of the Printers’ Charitable Corporation as was for its 150th anniversary year.
