Recollections of a Queen’s piper

In 2015 I was lucky enough to become the Queen’s Piper. I played the bagpipes every morning for about 15 minutes under the window of Her Majesty, normally while she was eating breakfast. The Piper to the Sovereign is part of the household so I travelled with Her Majesty to her royal residencies, including Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Balmoral Castle and the Palace of Holyrood house. The appointment also involved welcoming guests and visitors to the households for audiences with foreign and domestic dignitaries such as ambassadors and heads of state – and also British citizens receiving OBEs or CBEs and so on.

For these occasions my role consisted mainly of informing them of the general etiquette and expectations while in Her Majesty’s presence. The position was created in 1843 by Queen Victoria, who so enjoyed the sound of daily bagpipes while she holidayed in Taymouth Castle that she decided to appoint her own personal piper.

I was Piper to the Sovereign for four years and I have fond memories of that time. The Queen was not only disarmingly quick-witted and someone who liked to joke, but she was also caring and devoted to her staff. Working alongside her I was able to get to know her sense of humour and the ease with which she spoke to everyone. On my first day in post when I was feeling a little nervous, Her Majesty asked me if I was settling in. I responded that I was getting lost in the Palace and she laughed and said that she used to get lost with Princess Margaret all the time when they were children. She once joked that I was the first piper to hold the post whom she didn’t have to look up to – a jibe at my 5ft 6in height.