In 1978, I was a member of the NY branch and attending a course at Jesus College, Oxford, sponsored by the ESU. The ESU was celebrating its Diamond Jubilee. I was fortunate to receive an invitation to attend a reception honoring the occasion at Saint James’s Palace, in the presence of Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh. I had the pleasure of speaking to both.

Quite remarkably, after the event was over, we were told we were free to wander the palace and leave at our leisure. This was well before 9/11 and security was obviously not as strict as it is today. During our wandering, several of us stumbled upon the Throne Room and took turns sitting on the Throne. We had no cameras, as they were not allowed. This was well before cell phones, so we could not record the event. It was a very memorable evening.