HAZEL Donald (84) will carry the Queen’s Baton in the lead-up to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, but it is not the only thing she has held for the Queen.
The Menora resident will carry the baton for 200 metres through the City of Perth on February 24 but in 1954 the now-retired Lieutenant Colonel held a car door open for Queen Elizabeth II when the latter visited Perth during her first Australian trip.
Ms Donald even decided where the Queen got out of the car.
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READ NOW“They needed car orderlies, so I was asked to go do it as a corporal,” she said.
“We had to go practice opening and closing the door for a couple of days in a garage.
“I got on the trolley bus and went to UWA.
“I’d never been there before and a VIP asked where I was going to stand because wherever I stood the car would stop.
“I thought if I was wearing high heels I wouldn’t want to get out of the car and stand on grass, so I said I will stand on the road.
“It was quite a thrill but I was a bit nervous. I stood there and opened the door, did my salute and shut the door and that was it.”
Ms Donald said her brush with royalty was captured by a Sunday Times photographer.
“Prince Philip dropped his hat so he was bending over to pick it up, which you can see in the photo,” she said.
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