The following is a transcript of the speech made by Brig Nick Smith, Chairman of the Regimental Collection Trust, on the opening of the Museum by HRH The Princess Royal on Monday the 4th of April 2022:
Your Royal Highness thank you for being with us today, and for making it an appropriately memorable occasion. We have at times wondered whether we would get to this point, as I suspect you might have done.
The timing could not be more appropriate, falling just days after HRH Prince Philip’s memorial service. Prince Philip was a central figure throughout the near 30 years of The Queen’s Royal Hussars and before that for the Irish Hussars and the 8th Hussars. There have been many anecdotes recalled recently and most of us are fortunate to carry a memory from one of his visits. I, for one, recall how he splendidly upset the carefully choreographed reception, after the parade to present the Regiment with its new Guidon. He was accompanying Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother and we had organised groups from across the Regiment for them to meet, in 2 separate rooms. I became aware of some consternation behind me as I was escorting Her Majesty around the groups in our room and realised Prince Philip had unexpectedly joined us. He had whipped through all the groups he was due to meet in his room and set off to find out what was happening elsewhere. Her Majesty was, of course, quite unphased, the groups in our room were fortunate to meet both of our royal guests and it added that which makes for a memorable day.
Prince Philip kept a close eye on the development of the Museum and back in 2019 when, although it seems hard to imagine now, we were actually looking at opening in 2020, we asked if Prince Philip could open the Museum. As expected, he was not able to, but very kindly thought to ask your Royal Highness if you would do it on his behalf. We are delighted not only that you agreed but that you have shown such patience, as we have had to delay not once but twice. Thank you, Ma’am.
My fellow trustees and I are delighted to see so many from the County and Town here today and those involved in the development of the Museum – donors, supporters and those who have created it. It may be a modest little Museum but this belies what it has entailed getting to this point, made possible, only, thanks to the critical contributions of many of you here. It has been humbling how you have embraced the project and gone well beyond that which we had any right to expect.
Please accept this very sincere expression of our thanks and I hope that you will stay on after Her Royal Highness has left us to share a glass of champagne and to enable us to thank you personally.
Finally, to the home team, Trustees and Staff, past and present who have imagined and brought the Museum to life. It has been quite a voyage; we have encountered a surprising number of uncharted rocks and although we have avoided being holed the pumps have had to work quite hard. I hope you feel justifiably proud of what you have achieved, particularly Mike Mumford whose immense contribution, I am afraid, I cannot capture adequately, in a few words. I know you feel it is still a work in progress but do pause and take in what is now, I believe, a fitting tribute to those amazing individuals, on whose feats we have sought to shine a light.
Ma’am if I could now ask you to unveil the plaque.
