Imagine the astonished surprise of our own Board of Director´s past president, and current Malaga Chapter president,  Rosella E. Macchi Parmiter upon receiving a congratulatory letter from the Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese in Europe, The Right Reverend Dr. Geoffrey Rowell, announcing that Rosella had been nominated to receive an invitation from the Royal Almonry Office at Buckingham Palace to attend the Royal Maundy Thursday service at Westminster Abbey attended by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.    Due to the fact that Easter is late this year, the Maundy Thursday service on 21st April will fortuitously coincide with Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II´s   85th birthday.

 

Quotes from the letter:

“In making our nominations, Bishop David (the Suffragan Bishop) and I have consulted carefully, and have endeavoured to submit names of people from across the Diocese, who over the years have made significant contributions to the life of the church and of the local community.”    ……   “I am delighted that you have been nominated, and hope that you will see this as a recognition of the long years of service you have given to the Diocese, and also as representing many others who have made similar contributions over the years.”

Geoffrey 

 

Unfortunately  Rosella was not eligible for this honour, because the requirements for recipients are:   to be over 70 years of age and  British or Commonwealth citizens.  Oops! The Archdeacon had not asked the right questions, in early January, when making some inquiries without mentioning the purpose so as to not spoil the surprise!

 

Rosella pointed out to the Bishop´s PA that she holds dual nationality, Italian and U.S. and is several years below the age requirement!!    We can only imagine the embarrassed calls to Buckingham Palace since the invitations had already been sent.    Whereupon the decision was made to put Rosella on the Diocesan list of invitations.      Therefore Rosella will be spending Holy Week in London, staying with an old boarding school friend, Victoria Manduke Curtis, who will also accompany Rosella to the service at Westminster Abbey.

 

Well as all good fairy tales go… all´s well that ends well!