SHE’S served tea to the Queen and many other members of the royal family.

Now Suzanne Smith will be at your service for a Royal Tea Day as part of the Bournemouth Food and Drink Festival.

“Most people like tea so I thought it would be a good idea to have a tea tasting event at the store,” explains Suzanne who manages Steamer Trading in the town centre.

Suzanne was just 18 when she joined the Women’s Royal Army Corps as a stewardess.

Based in Woking, she was trained in silver service and one of her first jobs was to serve at a garden party at Buckingham Palace hosted by Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

“It was quite nerve-wracking but the training is so thorough you can cope with anything!” she says.

“Princess Diana was lovely – she had such a presence about her.”

But Suzanne nearly ended up in hot water – quite literally – when it came to serving tea to the Queen at another event.

“There is always a set procedure,” she explains.

“The plan was that I would make the tea and take three steps forward and stop, then the commandant would hand the cup and saucer to Her Majesty while I curtsied.”

But after making HRH’s tea – black no sugar – she turned round and the commandant was nowhere to be seen.

“Holding a cup and saucer isn’t easy when you are nervous at the best of times but to try and curtsy at the same time was quite a challenge.

“I didn’t spill any though – I got a round of applause when I returned to the officers’ mess afterwards,” she laughs.

Suzanne has also served Russian diplomats and celebrities over the years, including Sir Cliff Richard and Sir Bob Geldof.

After three years in the army Suzanne went into catering but she was still called in when the Queen Mother came to visit her former army base.

“I served her five times,” Suzanne recalls.

“She was so lovely – she always put you at ease and would have a chat with you.

“She always preferred Drambuie and brandy to a cup of tea though!”

Join Suzanne for Royal Tea Day at Steamer Trading in Gervis Place from 11am to 3pm.

The event is part of the Bournemouth Food and Drink Festival.