Ramsey resident Ella Slack assumed the role of Her Majesty the Queen when she opened Royal Visits to Ramsey, an exhibition of photographs, on Saturday June 30th at Ramsey town hall.

Members of the public had been invited to submit photographs for copying and displaying in the exhibition which formed part of Ramsey’s national week celebrations.

Arriving by chauffeured Bentley Miss Slack, who regularly stands in for the Queen during rehearsals for large-scale events, most recently for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations on the River Thames, was greeted by Ramsey Town Commissioners’ chairman Captain Nigel Malpass and deputy chairman Sylvia Beattie.

On their way into Ramsey town hall the ‘royal party’ paused to listen to the Neptune Street Nippers, the junior branch of Ramsey Town Band.

Before declaring the exhibition open Miss Slack said she recalled a number of the Queen’s visits to the Island, in particular the monarch’s visit to Ramsey in 1972 when her uncle, Fred Stevenson, had been chairman of Ramsey Town Commissioners. She said she was pleased to have been invited to open Royal Visits to Ramsey which she viewed as a fitting start to Ramsey’s national week celebrations.

The exhibition ‘Royal Visits to Ramsey’ is in the foyer of Ramsey town hall until Saturday July 14th.

Photo caption - Ella Slack with Ramsey Town Commissioners’ chairman Captain Nigel Malpass, deputy chairman Sylvia Beattie and, left to right, Aalin Penketh, seven, Alex Walker, 10 and Emma Malpass, 12. Picture Andrew Bart