Butler who served The Queen and Hollywood stars to appear at fundraising event
A butler who served on a royal yacht is the guest speaker at a tea party that will raise money for Cancer Research UK.
Mr William French, who also served Hollywood actors Nicole Kidman and Robert Redford, will appear at A Royal Tea Party at the Robin Hood Theatre, Averham.
The tea party is being organised by Dr Angela Moore, who recently joined the Newark committee of Cancer Research UK.
Dr Moore, 37, of Rolleston, said: “I met William French at a talk he gave two years ago and I know he is an excellent speaker.
“He served lots of members of the Royal Family, including Princess Diana, and he will be speaking about how he met them and what it’s like to serve breakfast to the Queen.
“Princess Diana said she heard of someone who was looking for a butler with royal connections and he started to work with a range of celebrities.
“He retired some time ago and now he does talks for people to help them raise money for different charities.”
Funding research into cancer treatments
Mr French began his career in 1980 when he joined the Royal Navy and served during the Falklands War on HMS Battleaxe and HMS Broadsword.
He was later on the Royal Yacht Britannia for five years when he served the Queen and Prince Philip, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of York.
When he left the Royal Navy in 1989 he continued his career as a butler and his first appointment was with the Rothschild family.
Dr Moore, 37, of Rolleston, lost her husband, Mr Nicholas Moore, to cancer four years ago when he was 43.
“I lost my husband some years ago,” she said.
“He was very lucky and was able to go on to some excellent drugs that prolonged his life to a large extent.”
Dr Moore, who works as a consulting mathematician, said she now wanted to raise money for further research into cancer treatments.
A Royal Tea Party is at the Robin Hood Theatre, on Monday, July 24, at 2pm for a 2.30pm start.
Tickets are £15 and can be booked by contacting Dr Moore on 01636 816882 or by visiting www.ticketsource.co.uk/robinhood
