Equinor boss Al Cook shared an early memory of meeting the Queen following the monarch’s passing yesterday.
The executive vice president told the story of him meeting Her Majesty as a young boy growing up in Geneva.
During their State visit to Switzerland in 1980, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva on 30 April.
The Equinor boss wrote about his excitement to meet her majesty, saying he bought himself a union flag and went with his mum and sister to greet her.
Cook said: “A crowd had gathered, and as she arrived I waved my flag as hard as I could.”
“Unfortunately, his flag broke, with one half falling to the ground out of reach behind a railing, distraught the young Mr Cook began to cry.
“However, as the Equinor executive vice president describes: “a lady had come over, picked up my broken flag and given it back to me.
“This kind lady was Queen Elizabeth II, she proceeded to speak with Cook’s mother for “what seemed like hours, but was probably just moments”, asking about their life in Geneva and how long they had lived there.”
© Supplied by Photo: Ole J?rgen BrMr Cook shared his feelings towards Queen Elizabeth II at the end of his tribute post, saying: “I believe that moments like this – moments of the Queen’s sheer kindness – are some of the reasons that we all feel so much grief this morning.”
Cook shared an image of this day (found at the top of this article), explaining that the young boy in the checked shirt with his head in his arms was the young man who would go on to become Equnior’s executive vice president.
This tribute comes as many across the energy sector pay tribute to her royal highness Queen Elizabeth II, following her passing yesterday in Balmoral, the royal family’s holiday home in Aberdeenshire.