The proud mother of one of the Queen’s pallbearers has shared her surprise upon seeing photos of her 19-year-old son taking part in the late monarch’s funeral.
David Sanderson from Northumberland was one of the eight soldiers to be chosen to carry Her Majesty’s coffin.
His family only found out about his involvement when photos of the rehearsals were shared by MailOnline.
Speaking of how proud she was when she found out that her son had been chosen as one of the soldiers form the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards for such an ‘enormous responsibility,’ his mother Carolyn said: “I’m beyond proud. It has just been amazing. I still can’t believe it happened.
“We didn’t actually know anything because it was all private to the army. We were looking at some photographs of the rehearsal and my husband said it looked like our David.
“I looked and said ‘of course it is!’ It’s just wonderful. I think I’ve discovered a new emotion.”
Carolyn said that seeing her son on TV going to Westminster Abbey was ‘just amazing.’
“I just lost it – that’s our David. They were all brilliant. I think it was perfect.”
David, whose late grandfather also moved to the first battalion, attended King Edward IV secondary school before joining the Army Foundation College. When he was 17, he was stationed at the regimental headquarters of the Grenadier Guards at Wellington barracks.
David’s father, Peter, also said: “The Grenadiers was in his blood, it’s all he has ever wanted to do. His grandfather served with the Queen’s Company, joining in 1958, so David was very aware of the history of the regiment.
“But he wasn’t following in anyone’s footsteps, he’s his own man with his own ambitions and he wanted to be part of the history and prestige of the Queen’s Company.
“When he got in he can’t have imagined he’d end up performing that particular duty, but he has and it’s an achievement he can be proud of for the rest of his life.”
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