Advertisement

WWII Pilot 'Told Off' By Queen Meets Her Again

A Second World War Spitfire pilot has come face-to-face with the Queen more than 70 years after she told him off for sneaking off for a cigarette when she was a princess.

Allan Scott, who is 94, said he brought up the incident with the Queen at a royal reception in Edinburgh but thankfully she smiled.

His memory dates back to 1943 when, as a veteran of the Battle for Malta, he went to Buckingham Palace to be decorated by the King after shooting down five enemy aircraft.

It was there that he met 16-year-old Elizabeth when he went for a cigarette and the young princess "politely admonished" him for not being where he should be.

The former pilot, who has a Distinguished Flying Medal, said he mentioned the chance meeting to the Queen when he was introduced to her at the Edinburgh headquarters of Royal Auxiliary Air Force's 603 Squadron.

He said: "It came up when we were talking and she smiled. I've been looking forward to the visit, I enjoyed it very much. After all, I haven't seen the Queen for around 70 years, so it was quite a thrill to see her again.

"It's been a wonderful day and I am so pleased to have met both their Royal Highnesses. The Duke of Edinburgh and I have something in common you see - we are the same age."

Mr Scott said the Battle for Malta, which took place in 1942 was a "hectic time". He and his fellow airmen were scrambled up to four times a day.

His closest shave, however, came during peacetime. In 1953 the one-time test pilot was flying a Tiger Moth biplane in an aerobatics display in Edinburgh when a technical fault saw it plunge 500ft to the ground.

He was seriously injured after ejecting and landing head first. He needed extensive plastic surgery to rebuild his face.