HH opened the massive cardboard box that she’d brought on her visit. “Just a few presents” she announced as I spied the beautiful hand-knitted string jumpers in a dazzling array of metallic colours.

I grabbed a golden one and pulled it over my head: it was far too tight. Meanwhile my sister S had the opposite problem with an electric blue creation. It hung far too loosely off her skinny frame.

HH then packed up her box and joined her friend (and my niece) AF for an afternoon in front of the television. They watched an Ealing comedy first, then moved on to James Bond in Casino Royale.