Wayne Eagleson: The weekend with Her Majesty the Queen at Balmoral Estate

Queen Elizabeth II entertains New Zealand Prime Minister John Key at her castle in Balmoral in 2013. Photo / Claire Trevett

OPINION:

September 2013 – I vividly remember taking this photo in the drawing room of Craigowan House on Her Majesty the Queen's Balmoral Estate.

I was fortunate to be the staffer accompanying then Prime Minister John Key along with his family to spend a weekend with Her Majesty and the royal party. While the Keys stayed in Balmoral Castle itself, I was a few hundred metres down the road in Craigowan House with the Queen's then Private Secretary Sir Christopher Geidt who also had a deep interest in and affection for New Zealand.

I took this photo on the first night of our visit. While John, Bronagh, Stefi and Max were at a dinner with the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and others, I was well looked after by Sir Christopher. He poured me a large scotch and set me up comfortably in the drawing room while he finished some calls and prepared dinner. My notes of the time record it was a superb venison pie, mashed potatoes and broccoli washed down with a bottle of French red and followed by rhubarb pie!

The drawing room of Craigowan House. Photo / Wayne Eagleson

The next day, not only had Christopher arranged for John, Max and me to play golf on the wonderful Balmoral nine-hole golf course, but he also ensured that I attended the picnic lunch being hosted by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh out on the estate. Fortunately, the Scottish weather cooperated!

Her Majesty had been very focused on ensuring that the younger Keys would enjoy their Balmoral experience – shown most clearly by timing our visit with that of younger royals Prince William and Kate along with a number of their friends.

I recall well standing on top of a rise after the picnic lunch ended with John, Bronagh and the Queen watching the younger men including Max set off for an afternoon of grouse hunting. What happened next particularly stuck in my mind. The Queen turned to John and invited him and Bronagh to jump in her Land Rover and take a tour of the estate with her. I guess I stood there awkwardly for a moment until the Queen looked at me and said "you can come too"!

The stories of the Queen enjoying driving herself were clearly true as we raced around the narrow lanes around the estate. Her Majesty's face came to life as she pointed out one landmark after another over what was a memorable half an hour or so.

With his open and relatively informal fashion, John often had a knack for getting to the heart of an issue or person and this occasion was no different. As we neared the end of our tour, he asked the Queen "Ma'am, how do you feel at the end of each summer when the time comes to leave Balmoral?"

John and Bronagh Key took a tour of the estate with the Queen. Photo / Wayne Eagleson

The Queen looked somewhat pensive for a moment then simply replied "Very sad". As we all do today.

• Wayne Eagleson was Chief of Staff to Prime Minister John Key from 2008 to 2016.