RICHMOND, Va. -- Queen Elizabeth II visited Richmond, Virginia in May 2007 as part of the 400th Anniversary of the Jamestown settlement.
During her visit, the Queen spoke in front of lawmakers at the Virginia General Assembly.
She was also greeted by hundreds of well-wishers upon her arrival in Virginia and her stops in Richmond, Jamestown, and Williamsburg.
Ainslie Jamerson was an 8th-grade student at Manchester Middle School when the Queen came to town. Her father was the Clerk of the Virginia House of Delegates at the time of the Queen's visit. He selected his daughter to be among the students to greet Her Majesty.
Cheryl Miller caught up with Jamerson via Zoom hours after the Queen's death was announced and asked her about her once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Cheryl Miller
How were you chosen to give flowers to Queen Elizabeth?
Ainslie Jamerson
I was in eighth grade and my civics and economics class was chosen to be part of a school group to meet with the Queen.
It was the Queen, Prince Philip, and Tim Kane, who was governor at the time, and his wife Anne Holton. And I was one of the eighth graders there and I was also selected to present her with flowers.
It was the 400th anniversary of Jamestown and my dad, who was the Clerk of the House of Delegates at the time, had kind of organized all of the events surrounding that at the Capitol.
So the night before, he told me that I was going to present flowers to the Queen. I freaked out a little bit about that because I was 13 and very nervous.
But after they had their meeting with us, she saw me with the flowers and came over to me, and I gave them to her.
It was pretty awesome.
It's funny looking back on it, because at the time I knew it was a big deal and I was really nervous. I was so young. But now I really realize how big of a deal it was. Such an honor.
Cheryl Miller
What if anything, did you say to the Queen?
Ainslie Jamerson
It's funny because I get asked this all the time, especially after it happened.
My whole family was like, 'Oh my God, what did she say?'
And I'm pretty sure she said, 'Are these for me?'
Which is kind of funny, because who else are they for? And I said, Yes, Your Majesty, these are for you.
Cheryl Miller
Is that a story that you tell a lot of people?
Ainslie Jamerson
Oh, yeah, I tell it all the time. I feel like it's my fun icebreaker fact. Anytime anyone mentions the Queen or anytime she's visited the U.S., I always take that time to bring it up and tell friends and colleagues about it.
Cheryl Miller
How will you remember the Queen going forward?
Ainslie Jamerson
I'll definitely always treasure my moment with her. And I know at least that photo that was taken, my grandparents have poster size in their house.
So if don't remember it appropriately, I know they definitely always will. And I'll at least always have the moment always have that photo.
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