Barry Jenkins remembers watching the Queen's coronation in 1953 as a boy.
Now, 65 years later, he loves all things royal.
So this Queen's Birthday he's organising a high tea to celebrate a raft of royal occasions: the royal wedding, the Queen's sapphire jubilee, the arrival of a new prince and the Duke of Edinburgh and his wife's 70th wedding anniversary.
It's the third Queen's Birthday event he's organised in the past six years. This year he's expecting a full room of 60 people at the high tea at the Distinction Hotel.
"I love pageantry and the royal family do a hell of a lot in the background for charity and all that sort of thing. The Queen has been there such a long time she's seen it all," he said.
Barry Jenkins is planning to celebrate the royal wedding with a high tea. Photo/Ben Fraser
"I do admire her and the work she does."
While Jenkins will be "glued to the screen" when the royal wedding screens on Saturday night, he understands others aren't interested.
"You're either interested or you're not. When you see the people lined up on the streets, especially the children, it's wonderful. I'd rather watch that than see people fighting each other," Jenkins said.
"In Buckingham Palace there are crowds out there every day. It's part of our history.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Photo/File
"It's a lot of fun, I think it brings a country together."
Jenkins said he thought Meghan Markle would be a "fantastic" royal.
"She's used to the paparazzi and that's half the battle."
He said the royal wedding would be a big boost to the British economy.
"The wedding is going to cost millions, but that's going into the florists, the dressmakers, the hat makers."
