THE former head wine waiter of The Savoy Hotel, who served film stars and The Queen, has died.

Kazmierz Karpinski worked for the luxury hotel in London for 47 years, working his way up after joining as an ordinary waiter.

He retired and moved to Bournemouth 20 years ago.

An inquest into his death was held last week.

It heard he died after falling from a first floor window.

The dapper 88-year-old had served Winston Churchill, numerous American film stars, and members of the ‘Rat Pack’ like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin.

His 83-year-old wife Gertrude, from Moordown, who married him in 1950, told the Echo: “He was very jolly and good humoured, a charming man.

“He started at the hotel at the bottom and built himself up. He liked the job and the unusual people that he met and he was always very active with sports.”

Grandson Simon Gallacher, 35, from Southbourne, said: “He always wanted to learn new things.

“I got him a computer 15 years ago and he taught himself everything, like using Skype, and he started learning Japanese aged 80.”

Kazmierz was from Torun in northern Poland.

He served with the Polish army on the Italian front during the Second World War.

After the war he moved to Norbury in south London.

The inquest held at Stafford Road heard he had suffered from the symptoms of hypomania, which can involve euphoria and restlessness.

Neighbour Marie Beattie saw him clamber out of a window on December 17 last year then fall backwards from the sill.

He died on December 27 from multiple injuries.

Deputy coroner Brendan Allen recorded an open verdict.