Thames Valley Police officers to form Guard of Honour at committal service for Her Majesty the Queen

A group of Thames Valley Police officers will have the distinction of being part of the Guard of Honour in Windsor at the committal service taking place today (19/9) for Her Majesty the Queen.

The Guard of Honour will form before the procession carrying her Majesty, which will enter the grounds of Windsor Castle. The committal service of Her Majesty the Queen will be one of the largest operations in the history of Thames Valley Police, which has a longstanding role in the policing of Royal events.

Some of the 12 officers selected to represent Thames Valley Police have spoken about their honour in participating in this historic occasion.

PC Natalie King – “Windsor residents’ special bond”

“It is 14 years since I took an oath to “well and truly serve the Queen in the office of constable”, and I have been lucky enough to spend my entire working career in varying roles in the Royal Borough.

 “I also grew up in Windsor from the age of three and Windsor residents feel a special bond with our Royal Family. For me personally, this also comes from seeing Her Majesty the Queen at the Garter Ceremony when I was seven as well as policing events such as Royal Ascot races, and seeing her driving her Land Rover in the Great Park when I was out running.

“I feel extremely honoured to be playing a role in the funeral for a much-loved and respected monarch.”

Inspector Tim Waterworth – “Honoured and humbled”

“I’m honoured and humbled to have been selected to be part of the Guard of Honour and represent my colleagues and Thames Valley Police on this sad occasion.

“I started my career at Windsor Police Station and have policed a number of Royal events.

“This is clearly the biggest yet most sombre and I’m very proud to play a small part, and pay testament to my colleagues who have planned this so thoroughly and those from within the force and the other forces supporting us who are doing such a magnificent job.”

Detective Inspector Quoc Vo – “The hope she represented”

“I remember the day I swore an oath to well and truly serve Her Majesty the Queen in the office of constable on a sunny afternoon in Reading, 2007. 

“In the years since, I have had the opportunity to police in Windsor and when I noticed the flag up, I would think to myself what Her Majesty was doing at that moment. 

“The oath I swore created a bond which I know might sound strange when I’ve never met Her Majesty before. However, this bond runs much deeper than that. Were it not for Her Majesty the Queen and the hope she represented to my family, I would not be here today. 

“The UK welcomed us as part of the Vietnamese refugee boat crisis in the 1980s. Policing became my calling to protect the community and our freedoms. As a husband, father to three young children, a son and a Detective Inspector, I can only describe forming the Honour Guard for Her Majesty in Windsor to be one my life’s greatest honour and privilege.”

Detective Constable Sikander Channa – “A Bittersweet moment”

“As a British born Sikh I felt very proud when I joined Thames Valley Police in 2019. It has been a pleasure to serve Her Majesty the Queen for three and a half years, as an officer both in uniform and non-uniform roles.

“I feel very humbled to be a part of Thames Valley Police’s Honour Guard for Her Majesty’s final journey to Windsor Castle. It is an honour to represent Thames Valley Police, the wider policing family and the communities I serve at this important time for our country.

“It feels like a bittersweet moment in my career as I am saddened by the loss of Her Majesty, but at the same time I welcome the opportunity to serve His Majesty the King.

Inspector Shamsher Dhothar – “Something I will never forget”

“It is a privilege to be serving the people attending Windsor as well as the Royal Family and an honour to represent both officers and staff at Thames Valley Police who have been working tirelessly to make this event run smoothly.

“Although there has been lots of activity since the passing of Her Majesty the Queen was announced, this operation has been years in the planning and it takes a tremendous amount of work to pull something like this together alongside ensuring that our day to day policing continues.

“To represent those who have been working so hard at such a significant event is something that I am proud of and I’m sure will never forget.”

 

PC Harry Nogami – “Immense pride”

“It is a great honour to be chosen to represent Thames Valley Police in this historic event as a guard of honour. I have been a police officer for 14 years and have always worked in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead so Her Majesty the Queen has always been very much part of my policing career.

“I took immense pride in taking part in Royal Ascot every year, which I know meant a lot to Her Majesty.

“To me she represented more than just being a monarch but a real person, a real person that I had the privilege and duty to protect. A real person that inspired in me that very sense of duty that is paramount to being a good police officer.

“Once again, it is a great honour and privilege to be able to participate in what will be Her Majesty’s last duty.”