“It was incredible”. Of her meeting with Elisabeth II, Béatrice de Montille keeps fond memories. “She is a woman whom I admired a lot and whom I found extraordinary,” she confessed the day after the death of the sovereign. Now a municipal councilor in Lyon, this entrepreneur has lived in London for a long time. In 2007, she founded the whimsical jewelry brand ” thanks Mom “, without suspecting that it would open the doors of Buckingham Palace to him, ten years later.
All it took was a fortuitous boost from Kate Middleton, whom she never met. “His sister Pippa had placed an order on our site and she had contacted me. We exchanged by email. Later, I sent her a necklace when Prince George was born. On the round disc are engraved the first names of the Royal Baby. Next to it, a heart bearing the initial W. “I didn’t think we would see Kate Middleton wearing it because it’s a fancy piece of jewelry,” she recalls. However, the young mother will wear it proudly on many occasions, in the private sphere. The press echoes it. Readers wonder about its provenance.
A meeting in one of the queen’s salons
“It generated a very nice buzz for our company. We have grown considerably. This is what allowed us to apply in 2017 for the Queen Awards, which rewards entrepreneurs. And we won the trophy in the international trade category,” says Béatrice de Montille. “On the day of the ceremony, I thought we would be lined up in a row and just going to shake hands with the Queen. But to my surprise, we were taken to a small lounge. It was unlikely. “A moment that will remain forever etched in his memory.
“As soon as the golden doors opened, the queen appeared. I saw her move forward. I felt like I was immersed in the series The Crown. She was accompanied by her husband, her son Edward and her daughter-in-law, continues Béatrice de Montille. I remember her flawless lipstick, her lively and deep gaze. The exchange lasts a few minutes. The young woman is “not prepared”, does not know how to present herself, nor how to greet Her Majesty. Spontaneously, she starts talking to him about her company located in the Fulham district, her creations, specifies that three of her granddaughters have worn them.
“Attentive, serene, solid”
“She was very attentive, attentive. The discussion happened naturally. She was very serene, solid. You felt it was a rock, a pillar. I was very impressed to speak to him in private, ”recalls Béatrice de Montille. She will be even more so, three quarters of an hour later during the cocktail party, when a lady comes up to her and asks her: “Are you Thank you Mom? “At that moment she told me that the queen told her about me and what I was doing. She recounts the entire conversation we had. I was in a bit of a daze, laughs Béatrice de Montille. I had stars in my eyes because I understood that the queen had taken great interest in what I had told her. »
Today, Béatrice de Montille says she is “happy” to share this anecdote in order to pay tribute to the late sovereign. “Before returning to Lyon, I lived in England for 15 years. For me, Elizabeth II played a major role in the unity of her country. She served him for seventy years. She was very wise and an admirable woman, ”she says before talking about King Charles, whom she met in 2020, when she won the Queen Awards trophy a second time. “I am happy to see that, for several years, he has been appreciated by his subjects at his fair value. “And to conclude with a smile:” The jewel worn by Kate, the private interview with Queen Elisabeth and the meeting with Prince Charles, these are three beautiful gifts that I received from the royal family. I will never forget him. »