A BAKER from Poole, who baked the Queen’s official Platinum Jubilee cake earlier this year, has paid tribute to an “inspiration to the nation”, after the Queen died yesterday afternoon aged 96. 

Mark Bennett, owner of Patisserie Mark Bennett in Sandbanks Road and self-described royalist, paid tribute to Her Majesty. 

He said: “I'm just devastated. As you know I'm a big fan of the Royal family and especially Her Majesty. I was very upset when I heard the news. She was an absolute inspiration to the nation right until the end. 

Read more: Mark Bennett bakes official cake for Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Bournemouth Echo: A cake fit for a Queen: The incredible bake from Poole's Mark Bennett for Buckingham PalaceA cake fit for a Queen: The incredible bake from Poole's Mark Bennett for Buckingham Palace (Image: Mark Bennett)

“It isn’t a good time to happen as well; the nation is not in a good way. I also must pay tribute to King Charles as well. He has some big boots to fill but I’m sure he will do a good job.” 

Mark baked the official cake earlier this year which was used to celebrate her 70 years on the throne. 

He approached Buckingham Palace with a proposal to design and bake the cake and told the Echo back in June of his immense pride in being given the opportunity to bake a historic cake. 

Bournemouth Echo:

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In June, he said: “It was absolutely amazing and I couldn't believe it. I’m a big royalist so it has been an honour to bake the cake.” 

The final cake, which had royal approval, was decorated with crests, corgis, horses, the Commonwealth flag, Union Jack, Westminster Abbey, flowers and even racing pigeons – the Queen had around 200 pigeons in her loft at her Sandringham Estate and is a patron of several UK pigeon-racing associations. 

Mark added: “They wanted something very traditional. They wanted lots of things that depicted Her Majesty’s life over 70 years.”