By royal appointment - meet Derbyshire man James whose hobby is fit for a king

By day, 38-year-old James works as a communications manager for a council in Derbyshire. But a large chunk of his leisure time is devoted to his hobby of following the monarchy up and down the country.

He has attended up to 40 royal events in recent years, taking snaps as a keen photographer, commentating for radio stations, compiling columns for newspapers, including your Chad, or simply showing his support as a loyal spectator.

James thought nothing of camping at 4.30am on London’s The Mall to get a good vantage point for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations last summer.

And when King Charles III conferred city status on Doncaster last November, James was first there at 7.30am – and was rewarded with a handshake from the man set to be crowned King on May 6.

Needless to say, James will be there, travelling down the day before and meeting friend and fellow royal enthusiast Dean Caston to bag a familiar overnight spot on The Mall, ready to catch the coronation procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.

“For the Queen’s funeral procession last year, I actually booked a hotel for the night, but when I saw so many crowds already gathered on The Mall, I decided not to bother,” says James.

“I had a camping chair and shared a blanket. I didn’t get any sleep – it was too busy and noisy, but it was worth it.”

So where did this ardent devotion to the Royal Family come from? James, born and bred in Shirebrook, thinks it stretches back to his childhood.

"When I was little, my grandmother lived with us and she never missed occasions such as Trooping The Colour on TV,” he says.

“I also remember, when I was seven, we went on holiday to Blackpool. When my mum and dad asked what I would like for a present to take home, I said a book about the kings and queens of England, so obviously the interest was already there.

“I’ve always enjoyed it, but it’s only in recent years that I have started going to different events.”

Those events have ranged from birthday celebrations and church visits to Order of the Garter services at Windsor Castle and Order of the Thistle services at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.

Sometimes he has queued, sometimes he has “been lucky enough” to get tickets through ballots, sometimes he has even been invited.

Sometimes, he has travelled alone. But “there’s always a nice, happy atmosphere”, he says, and he often sees the same faces and makes friends, including Dean, 58, from Kent, whose dedication goes back to 1977 when, as a 12-year-old, he was taken to see the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations.

Other times, James has attended events with June Palmer, former vicar of Holy Trinity Parish Church, Shirebrook, where he is a licensed lay reader.

Earlier this year, James helped raise funds for the church when giving a talk about the late Queen Elizabeth II, sharing his stories and photographs.

The Queen was his favourite royal. So no wonder he queued for four miles and eight hours, days after her death last September, to see her lying in state at Westminster Hall.

"I always liked and admired the Queen,” he said. “When she died, a friend sent me a message that said: ‘I hope you are all right, because it must be like losing a member of your family’.

"I wasn’t in pieces, but it was a nice thing to do.”

Over the years, James has amassed a wealth of expertise, which has been tapped into by various media outlets, and an impressive collection of photographs,.

They include a last image of the Queen and Prince Philip together before he retired from public duties in 2017, when James defied illness to get his snap.

“It was a hot day and after standing on The Mall for hours, I felt faint,” he remembers.

“St John Ambulance wanted to take me off on a stretcher, but I said ‘no, the Queen’s coming in a minute’.

“People moved back, so I could sit on the floor and they gave me a drink. I did feel wobbly, but was in control of my senses enough to get the photo. It’s a nice memento.”

Another picture he is particularly fond of is of the Queen at Windsor for her 93rd birthday in 2019.

“The crowds sang Happy Birthday and she looked straight at me and the camera, smiling,” he says.

“The photo is everything you associate with her. The hat, the gloves, the pearls, the handbag and the flowers children had given her. It was so her and she looked so happy.”

The Queen was also at the centre of James’s favourite royal memory at a service in Edinburgh. He recalls: “I was seated at the back, but it was where the Queen had to walk past. She was wearing her long gown, robes and diamond earrings. If I had reached out, I could have touched her. It was a special moment.”

Now the baton has been passed on to Charles and Camilla. James, who has already photographed them together on a visit to Windsor at Easter, admits excitement is mounting ahead of the Coronation.

He admits there might be “awkwardness” over Prince Harry’s presence and Meghan’s absence and accepts there will be protests from a minority who disapprove of the Royal Family.

But, he says: “It will be a momentous occasion. Whenever there is a big royal event, there are reports people aren’t interested in the Royal Family, but thousands still turn up or organise street parties and events. There is still a real sense of connection.

“The highlight this time will probably be seeing Charles and Camilla in their crowns as they return to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach.”