Audrey Picard was especially chuffed to receive her birthday card and letter from Queen Elizabeth and often tells a story about how she met the Queen when she was just a kid. Photo / Caitlan Johnston
Audrey Picard was especially chuffed to receive her birthday card and letter from Queen Elizabeth and often tells a story about how she met the Queen when she was just a kid. Photo / Caitlan Johnston
Last month, Camellia Rest Home's longest current resident celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by friends and family while boasting a pink tiara.
Audrey Picard has been a resident at the rest home for 11 years and on Sunday, July 12 she became a centenarian.
She had all her family and some friends visit her on her special day, she was treated to a cupcake tower and she received numerous bunches of flowers that she shared with the entire rest home, placing a bunch on each table.
"We had a party up here and my room was absolutely chocker full with flowers," says Audrey.
"I knew I was coming up to 100, I am tired, but you get over that. The thing is I eat well."
Today, the telephone exchange building in Taihape has been redeveloped into a café, Le Café Telephonique, which still features the old telephone booth.
Audrey married her late husband, Arthur, in her early 20s and together they moved around the Waikato area before settling in Auckland.
In Auckland she worked as a post mistress in Ōtāhuhu and Mangere East.
Audrey and Arthur had four kids, Beryl, Derek, Kelvin and Wayne, who all grew up in Auckland, and she has 12 grandchildren.
Camellia Rest Home Staff helped to make Audrey a cupcake tower for her birthday. Photo / Supplied
When she was just 13, Audrey believes she was travelling on the same train through the country as, at the time, the Duke and Duchess of York and their children Elizabeth, now Queen Elizabeth II, and Margaret.
It is unknown if this story is true, but it is one that she has adamantly told many people.
She recalls the train having to stop due to technical issues and says she really wasn't allowed out of the train but she snuck out anyway and saw the royals by their carriage.
Elizabeth was allowed out of the carriage and Audrey says she came and played with her by the train tracks.
She also says Elizabeth asked Audrey to write to her, which she says she did but never received a reply.
"I was on the train and I played with the Queen," Audrey insisted.
With this memory, it is no surprise that Audrey was immensely chuffed to receive her special birthday card from Queen Elizabeth which she now has proudly displayed on her dresser.
"She was so excited to get the letter from the Queen, that's what she's been hanging out for," says Wayne.
