Greetings from the Queen

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

OK ,maybe she didn't tell me to say Hi to you folks, but she did say hello to me. The ceremony with Queen Elizabeth II,HRM UK, went very well yesterday. She was very pleasant and liked the gift from the Jamestown 400th Foundation to her. I was easy to spot in the group, as I was the only one wearing a kilt. Photos are able to be posted now, as the secrecy and security is over.
Stacy Elliott Apelt, FSA Scot

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

One more of Prince Phillip
Oh, yeah, and a couple of guys who were right behind me.

 

[donkeypunch]

Prince phillip? How about a prince Albert? Shes in town for the Derby this weekend. Traffic is a pain in the ass.

 

[docdredd]

i was wondering how that all worked out for you. congradulations man and great work!!

 

[rhrocker]

This is really a neat deal Stacy! One of our own rubbing elbows with the likes of QE. The Queen always wears a hat it seems. I bet her broach is worth many pounds to say the least. Way to go, proud of you!

 

[fitzo]

Congrats, Stacy on your job well done representing American metalsmiths!:thumbup: Quite an experience, I'm sure, and quite an honor. Something special to add to your "Life List".

 

[GibsonFan]

That's a story your grandchildren will be proud to pass on.

 

[grease-man]

Glad it went well Stacy! Thanks for posting the photos. I'm sure it was quite an event! -Matt-

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

The Queen arrived with two vans of clothes and stuff. She had 14 hat boxes.

 

[Bruce Bump]

Stacy that is so cool! I cant believe I even know you. Well I dont really know you but you know what I mean.

 

[ritzblitz]

14 hat boxes. Hahaha thats great. I love the kilt Stacy.

Great job.

Alex

 

[Justin.Mercier]

Real men wear kilts ! (I'm only 1/8th scottish and 1/8th irish, but i've worn a kilt on several ocasions, and I'm [very slowly] teaching myself to play the great highland bagpipes) Albiet there's not usualy much opportunity here in the states... though this is how I went for halloween the last few years.

http://www.tharkis.com/images/kilt.jpg

I must say, that's a huge accomplishment to be making items for the royal family, and with your skill, well deserved !

 

[jdm61]

Very cool. I was surprised to hear that today was the Queen's first trip to the Derby seeing how many times she has been to Lexington for other horsey events. And I see that Prince Phillip still holds the title of "Best Dressed White Boy on the Planet" The Queen may have 14 hats, but Hubby has some killer Saville Row bespoke duds.:thumbup:

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I'm not sure about your info on the Queen's visits to Lexington. As far as I know she has been to the US five times in 50 years. Last time was 1991.
Oct,1957
Jul,1976
Mar, 1983
May, 1991
May, 2007
Stacy

 

[David Wesner]

Very Cool Stacy !! Congratulations on a job well done. You look sharp as a tack in that Kilt dude :thumbup: Gad Zooks on the Queens hat though And Holy Smokes to the LEO presence :yawn: I wonder what the 3 officers had in those big bags slung over the shoulder. I'll bet whatever it was it was F-A-S-T , as in 600-900 SPM @ 2500 FPS. I like the pic of the guys in riot gear peering around the corner next to the dudes with the big "Blades on a Stick". Irony. Again..........Very, Very Cool

 

[deker]

Congrats on a job well done Stacy! Quite an honor bestowed on quite a person. I was wondering while at work on Friday how this all worked out for you. Glad it all went well.

-d

 

[jdm61]

I'm not sure about your info on the Queen's visits to Lexington. As far as I know she has been to the US five times in 50 years. Last time was 1991.
Oct,1957
Jul,1976
Mar, 1983
May, 1991
May, 2007
Stacy

Hmmmm....I thoughtshehad beenheremore times than that. Not sure how you would lookup her old itineraries, but she was in the area for sure eiher in the 1983 or 1991 visit becuase some of her horses were in Ky. Of course, she doesn't have the "permanent" presence there like a number of the Arab royals from the Guf region do.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I was standing with the Secret Service SWAT team, and looked down in their bags.They are full of guns and armaments. They have hundreds (maybe thousands of rounds of ammo with each of them. Each person has a specific job. (I talked a bit with a regular agent after everything was over.) There was one fellow in knee pads and ammo strapped all over his body. He was the "Kneeler", his job was to hit the ground kneeling and pull the machine gun from his bag. He is the machine gun marksman. There was another man with knee pads, elbow pads, and a padded head piece (like boxing sparring head gear). He was the "Faller". If a shot was fired his job is to fall flat on his face, roll over and slide the HUGE sniper rifle from his bag (much longer than the other bags), I think it was a 50 cal. sniper rifle, and take out the shooter. He is the best sharpshooter on the team. I asked if that gun wouldn't go through several people in a crowd, and was told that the man's job was to protect the Queen and the VP, not the bystanders. There were six men on the team. They had at least 30 weapons (that I could see) and lots of ammo. The other interesting team was these three guys who followed the VP around. Two were in military dress uniforms and one was dressed like the other secret service guys. The two uniformed chaps had these huge shoulder bags that looked like they weighed over 100 pounds. The guy in the suit walked between them, and carried a small grey case that looked rather light. I was told that the big equipment was the mobile hot line satellite communications system and the little grey pouch was a defibrillator. He was never more than 20 feet from the VP. Gotta laugh.

I saw the irony of the royal guards in armor along with the SWAT team.too. That is why I took that photo.
Stacy

 

[jdm61]

I was standing with the Secret Service SWAT team, and looked down in their bags.They are full of guns and armaments. They have hundreds (maybe thousands of rounds of ammo with each of them. Each person has a specific job. (I talked a bit with a regular agent after everything was over.) There was one fellow in knee pads and ammo strapped all over his body. He was the "Kneeler", his job was to hit the ground kneeling and pull the machine gun from his bag. He is the machine gun marksman. There was another man with knee pads, elbow pads, and a padded head piece (like boxing sparring head gear). He was the "Faller". If a shot was fired his job is to fall flat on his face, roll over and slide the HUGE sniper rifle from his bag (much longer than the other bags), I think it was a 50 cal. sniper rifle, and take out the shooter. He is the best sharpshooter on the team. I asked if that gun wouldn't go through several people in a crowd, and was told that the man's job was to protect the Queen and the VP, not the bystanders. There were six men on the team. They had at least 30 weapons (that I could see) and lots of ammo. The other interesting team was these three guys who followed the VP around. Two were in military dress uniforms and one was dressed like the other secret service guys. The two uniformed chaps had these huge shoulder bags that looked like they weighed over 100 pounds. The guy in the suit walked between them, and carried a small grey case that looked rather light. I was told that the big equipment was the mobile hot line satellite communications system and the little grey pouch was a defibrillator. He was never more than 20 feet from the VP. Gotta laugh.

I saw the irony of the royal guards in armor along with the SWAT team.too. That is why I took that photo.
Stacy

Those VIP's aren't much for traveling light, are they?

 

[John R. Fraps]

I think you had a really neat experience. Not something most folks will get a chance to do...Just Cool!

Got a question. Is your kilt a family plaid? Just curious. I don't understand the difference between clan tartan vs not clan tartan. Have ancestors that were Boyd, Lewis, Lee ...different generations back and I don't think I could say I have ever seen a a Scotish or Irish plaid that was anything but really handsome.
Thank-you for sharing!