During their visit to Newhaven in East Sussex earlier today, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh spent time with the brave coastguard team that tried to save Dylan Atkins, the 14-year-old boy that lost his life in the St Jude storm.
The body of the young boy has not been found, despite the tireless efforts of the coastguard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
“We didn’t achieve what we wanted to achieve by rescuing him but I couldn’t have asked any more from the volunteer crew who worked in terrible conditions,” Paul Legendre, RNLI coxswain commented to The Mirror.
The Queen is the patron of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution which was founded in 1824.
Owner Ian Bickerstaff, proprietor of the fish farm the Royal couple was visiting today viewed today as bittersweet.
“It’s a privilege for me and my girls, as it’s a family-run business, and it’s our 40th year next year. The only sad thing is there is a cloud over the town with the loss of the young boy this week,” he commented.
After their tour of the fish farm, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness toured the ‘glamping’ pods and youth hostel at the YHA South Downs in Beddingham.
Glamping pods are a type of wooden tent. “They look much more comfortable than a tent,” The Queen commented to crowd.
They were at South Downs to meet a group of Kensington and Chelsea students who earned their bronze Duke of Edinburgh award after a 3 day excursion taking them through Ashdown Forest to South Downs.
“You’ve had some pretty miserable weather to contend with,” Her Majesty commented to group leader, Tuan Pham.
“Is there much trouble with mosquitoes when you’re sleeping in there?” Prince Phillip questioned according to The Argus online.
The Queen rebuffed her husband’s comment, “not at this time of year there won’t be,” she laughed.
On their last stop of the day, the Royal couple visited Harvey’s Brewery this afternoon. Located in Lewes, Harvey’s has been in business for over 200 years and is the oldest independent brewery in Sussex.
