A FORMER member of the Women's Royal Navy Service (WRNS) from Basingstoke who met King Chares III has been reminiscing ahead of the Coronation.

The Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms will take place on Saturday, May 6 at Westminster Abbey.

Charles acceded to the throne on September 8, last year, after the death of his mother, Elizabeth II.

Ahead of the grand event residents have been reminiscing on the times they met Charles and one of those is 63-year-old Nia Michael who lives in Basingstoke.

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Nia is an ex-petty officer and her father was a Welsh Guard (WG) when he was a young man.

A petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotation OR-5 or OR-6.

She said: "I was the first woman to match with the WG to the memorial at House Guards Parade where Prince Charles then placed a wreath.

"We marched past with the band in front singing Welsh songs, seeing as I'm a Welsh speaker it was wonderful."

She continued: "It makes you feel really proud and you often got members of the public clapping you on which is very special. I was very proud."

Recalling her experience of meeting King Charles she said she met him in the bar at Sgts Mess, a designated area where military personnel socialise and eat. 

She added: "I informed him that I was the first female to match with the WG and I was an ex-Royal Navy police officer.

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"He had a bit of a giggle, I guessed he remembered the regulating branch from his days in the Royal Navy."

Nia was a part of the WREN for an incredible eight years.

Nia told the Gazzete her dad watched Elizabeth II's Coronation so she is looking forward to watching King Charles's.

She added: "It is nice that Dad watched his mother's [Charles's] Coronation and I am going to watch his."

She is looking forward to watching the Coronation at home and celebrating in the garden.