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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Saffron Otter

Queen's grand gift to loyal servant who wrestled with Buckingham Palace intruder

There has been an outpour of touching tributes following Queen Elizabeth II's passing from people across the world about what Her Majesty meant along with stories about her acts of kindness over the course of her 76-year reign. Many of these have included special stories from her former staff and detail about the sweet gifts she had given her most trusted and loyal aides.

While hundreds of people served the Queen and other royals, there are very few who rise to the top and become household names. One of the servants who succeeded in doing this is Paul Whybrew, otherwise known by his nickname 'Tall Paul' - due to being 6ft 4in and therefore towering over his former colleague ‘Little Paul’ Burrell.

As Her Majesty's Page of the Backstairs, the 63-year-old worked closely with the household for more than 40 years, earning the Queen's utmost respect. A stand-out moment of his unquestionable dedication to service was in 1982 amid an intruder in the Queen's bedroom - and what followed was a grand gesture from the monarch to ensure Paul remained 'comfortable' by her side.

Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games - starring Daniel Craig and Paul Whybrew escorting Queen Elizabeth II (AFP/Getty Images)

Back in 1982 on July 9, Paul played a key role in one of the most notorious royal incidents when an intruder broke into Buckingham Palace and made his way into the Queen's bedroom.

Once the alarm was raised, it was the Queen's page that came to the rescue.

Paul wrestled and escorted the 33-year-old London-born unemployed man, Michael Fagan, away from the Queen and tried to calm him down by navigating him to the butler's pantry - where he offered him a whisky before the police arrived.

Years later, Paul achieved his own furnished quarters at a house near Albert Lodge in Windsor Great Park.

When the Queen turned 80 in 2006, she decided to spend more time at Windsor Castle and requested he moved there too.

He gave up his old flat above the old stables at Kensington Palace and moved into the new place, which was renovated to his liking and paid for by HRH.

Paul Whybrew (L), Queen Elizabeth II's personal Page, in his role as Serjeant at Arms travels in a horse drawn carriage along with the Ceremonial Maces from Buckingham Palace to attend the State Opening of Parliament on May 8, 2013 (Getty Images)

"The Queen told him to decorate it to his taste and send her the bill. She said she wanted him to be comfortable," a royal insider told the Mail.

In the Queen's final days at Balmoral, he spent hours watching her favourite sport with her and delivered her daily edition of the Racing Post for her as usual.

Paul accompanied the coffin as the Queen left Buckingham Palace for the final time on Wednesday, with King Charles III and the royal family walking behind her coffin in solemn procession to the lying in state at Westminster Hall.

He was one of only three of Her Majesty's male domestic staff invited to join the cortege.

And last year, Paul became the longest-serving member of the Queen's staff at Buckingham Palace, and was honoured for his long and faithful service with the Royal Victorian Order and Medal - silver and gold.

You can leave your tributes to Queen Elizabeth II here.

You can now buy Friday's historic Daily Mirror commemorating the death of the Queen here: mirror.co.uk/commemorative

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