Earlier this week Simon McKay was at Buckingham Palace to collect the late Fenella Fielding's OBE. Fenella, who died in September aged 90, was awarded the OBE for services to drama and to charity.
Simon collected the honour from Prince William, in what must have been a very proud and moving moment. I was so pleased when Fenella was recognised for her long, varied and successful career but it was a devastating blow when she died before getting the chance to have her moment at the Palace. At least Fenella knew this wonderful honour had been bestowed before she passed.
Fenella enjoyed a career in the arts which spanned seven decades and took in countless roles in film, on television and radio and on the stage. A cult figure for many years for her individual style and unique, inspired performances, Fenella found a legion of new fans in more recent years thanks to some astonishingly good live performances reading from her delightful memoirs and through some particularly affecting Greek tragedy. Always surprising, endlessly fascinating and definitely sweet and down to earth, Fenella was a pleasure to listen to, to meet and see perform.
It was fitting that Simon went to the Palace to collect Fenella's OBE as they were such close friends in her later years. They very obviously shared a special connection and without Simon's driving force, I'm not sure Fenella's wonderful memoirs "Do You Mind if I Smoke?" would have come to fruition.
Fenella Fielding OBE, we salute you. I'm sure you're looking down on us all.
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