An Aberdeenshire hairdresser has said it was an honour and a privilege to work for the Queen at Balmoral for the past 32 years.
Lynn Murray, from Strachan, first started doing the monarch’s hair in the summer of 1990 when she stepped in to cover for her mum following a car crash.
When her mum’s injuries left her unable to work, the Queen decided to keep Mrs Murray on as her permanent hairdresser in Scotland.
“I felt very honoured Her Majesty kept me on,” she said. “It’s been a privilege to give a personal service to this amazing, unique lady.
“From my first visit, I was grateful for the talent she had of making people feel at ease. It felt like she had a magic wand.
“Any hairdresser out there knows how close you get to a client, especially when you do their hair in their own environment.”
Special medal awarded by Queen
Over the past three decades, Mrs Murray visited Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh and the intimate Craigowan Lodge on the Balmoral estate to do the Queen’s hair.
Her work with the monarch was recognised in 2017 when she was included on the Queen’s birthday honour’s list.
She travelled down to London with her husband, Sandy Murray, and sons Stuart, 24, and Scott, 17, to receive her Royal Victorian Medal – rewarded for personal service to the sovereign.
“The Queen knew my husband and two sons were accompanying me so she asked if she could meet my boys after the ceremony,” she said.
“I was very humbled. My boys were very nervous, but just like the Queen did for me all those years ago, she lifted their anxiety within minutes by directing relevant questions to each of them.
“They were shocked how the Queen not only knew, but remembered, what was going on in their lives from conversations I had with her over that summer. It showed her fantastic communication skills, memory and genuine interest.
“Her thoughtful gesture of inviting us to meet with her in her personal apartment at Buckingham Palace will live with us forever.”
Special memories of corgis
The 57-year-old also recalled her favourite part of their meeting that day – which involved the Queen’s beloved corgis.
She continued: “I said to Her Majesty: ‘I thought I might have seen my friend’. Quick as a flash she said ‘Oh, have you not seen him?’
“My husband was baffled but my boys knew what I meant. The Queen then shouted on her dogs – she knew who my favourite was – and they all came hurtling along. My guys got to meet the furry friends they’d heard so much about.”
Working with the Queen in her Deeside home meant Mrs Murray was given the rare opportunity to meet her client’s pets and family which she would not usually experience in the salon.
“I’ve also met a lot of the staff who travel with the Queen, who have all been very helpful and kind to me,” she added. “They work tirelessly and give up a lot to hold their positions.
“I will miss my trips to the castle enormously, but I have lots of beautiful memories I’ll cherish.”
Conversation