Cllr Fulbrook speaking at last night’s meeting

Labour councillor Julian Fulbrook has told the council chamber that conversations with the Queen had to stay private – but he could say she was well-versed in what was happening in Camden during her reign.

The former mayor added the monarch and her husband had helped tens of thousands of children through events, schemes and the Duke of Edinburgh awards.

He was speaking as Camden Council held a special all-member meeting last night (Monday) in which councillors, aldermen, members of the public and Town Hall staff paid tribute to the Queen.

Here is what Cllr Fulbrook said:

“There are a lot of ex-mayors here who have very fond memories of meeting the Queen on behalf of the borough.

I would say that there are some downsides to your post as Mayor of Camden – long hours, a lot of meetings, a lot of sandwiches, meals, dinners.

Malnutrition is probably not a downside, but the upside is obviously meeting some fantastic people in the borough and seeing some interesting people, and obviously the celebrities and the royal family.

So we remember the Queen and all her visits here. I would say it’s not possible really, it would be improper to talk about some of those private conversations. I think David Cameron stepped over the line when he said the Queen purred down the phone to him after the Scottish referendum.

But I can certainly attest and others too, that the Queen was remarkably well briefed. She knew exactly what was going on in Camden, and even read articles in the Camden New Journal that she could speak to. She was an extraordinary person.

In another capacity as a scout leader and the Duke of Edinburgh Award supervisor in the borough, I had a succession of Camden boys and girls, scouts, Duke of Edinburgh Award holders going to Windsor Castle and St James’s Palace to meet this duo.

And I think it’s important to mention Prince Philip on an occasion like this, because both of them were together for such a long time and so important in the lives of young people.

The Queen was the patron of the Scout Association, she’d been a Brownie, a Guide and a Sea Ranger. Of course, the Duke of Edinburgh Award has brought fantastic underpinning for the extra curricular activities, and the academic achievement of tens of thousands of young Britons – and, as a patent, it’s now crossed across the world.

Both of them can be remembered for their tremendous support for young people.

My family have been chuckling a bit this week, because – and it dates me – I was able to produce a photograph of me at a coronation party in June 1953 in a place called Mbanza-Ngungu in the Belgian Congo, where I was at school

And my parents invited the neighbours around and we listened to the BBC World Service. It was in English. I’m not sure what our neighbours ,who were Congolese made of it, but along with the BBC and universities, the Queen was soft power in the world.

And that was always important.

I know that at one stage, she was actually asked a question and said it on the record.

She was asked why and how meeting so many people – was that not a strain? And she said: ‘Not really. I rarely have to introduce myself. They all they all seem to know who I am.’

And of course, everyone in the world knew the Queen, knew that she represented best in Britain and the Commonwealth. We will all miss her.