Paul Whybrew
{{Short description|Page to Queen Elizabeth II (born 1959)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Paul Whybrew
|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=100%|CVO|RVM}}
|image =
|image_size = 260px
|caption =
|birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1959}}
|birth_place = Braintree, Essex, England, UK
|occupation =
|website =
}}
Paul Kevin Whybrew, {{post-nominals|country=UK|sep=,|size=100%|CVO|RVM}} (born 1959) is a British former member of staff to the Royal Households of the United Kingdom. He served as Page of the Backstairs to Queen Elizabeth II until her death on 8 September 2022.
Role
His role as personal page to the Queen required that he catered to a significant proportion of her daily needs. He was given accommodation by the Queen at Windsor Castle, Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House.
Whybrew was one of a number of longtime staff who kept the Queen company in her final days at Balmoral.{{cite web | url=https://www.msn.com/en-au/entertainment/other/how-the-queen-spent-her-final-weeks-at-her-happy-place-balmoral/ar-AA11D7Vk?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=7139020b70bf490ebd838551602efdad | title=How the Queen spent her final weeks at her 'happy place', Balmoral | website=MSN }}
He took part in the Royal Procession at the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla as Serjeant-at-Arms.{{cite web |title=Coronation order of service in full |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65503950 |website=BBC News |date=5 May 2023 |access-date=6 May 2023}}
=Incident=
In 1982, Whybrew spoke to Michael Fagan.{{cite web|url=http://www.theroyalist.net/content/view/3198/1/ |title=The Queen Honours 'Big Paul' |publisher=The Royalist |first=Joanne|last=Leyland |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080523144055/http://www.theroyalist.net/content/view/3198/1/ |archivedate=23 May 2008 }} Fagan had evaded security and broken into the royal bedroom at Buckingham Palace.
Honours
In addition to his honours, Whybrew was appointed Serjeant-at-Arms to the Queen in 2008. The role was first established in the 12th century.
Whybrew was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in the 2006 New Year Honours,{{London Gazette|issue=57855|supp=y|page=3|date=31 December 2005}} promoted to Lieutenant of same Order (LVO) in the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Honours,[https://www.royal.uk/2012-diamond-jubilee-honours-list The 2012 Diamond Jubilee Honours List] - official website of the British Royal Family and promoted again to Commander of the Order (CVO) in the 2023 Demise Honours.{{London Gazette|issue=64008|supp=y|page=D2|date=25 March 2023}} Besides this, he was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal (RVM) twice, first in Silver in the 1993 Birthday Honours{{London Gazette|issue=53332|supp=y|page=4|date=11 June 1993}} and then in Gold in the 2016 Birthday Honours.{{London Gazette|issue=61608|supp=y|page=B5|date=11 June 2016}} He furthermore received the Queen Elizabeth II Version of the Royal Household Long and Faithful Service Medal for service to the Royal Family.
Personal life
Whybrew, known as "Tall Paul", was born in Braintree, Essex, in 1959 and is {{convert|192|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} tall. He attended Clacton County High School. He was also known as "Tall Paul" in contrast to another of the Queen's footmen, Paul Burrell, who was known as "Small Paul".
Whybrew appeared in the Buckingham Palace scenes of the short comedic film Happy and Glorious, featured in the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics, in which the Queen is seen jumping out of a helicopter with James Bond (Daniel Craig).{{cite web | url=https://www.007.info/on-her-majestys-olympic-service/ | title=On Her Majesty's Olympic Service }}{{cite web | url=https://www.newsweek.com/how-queen-elizabeth-enured-famous-james-bond-daniel-craig-scene-was-authentic-1685801 | title=How Queen Elizabeth II Ensured Famous James Bond Scene Was Authentic | website=Newsweek | date=8 March 2022 }}
References
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Category:Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Recipients of the Royal Victorian Medal
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