Dundee is no stranger to royal visits.
However, Dundonians are also making their mark in high-profile positions at historic royal palaces in London.
Constable of the Tower of London: General Sir Gordon Messenger
Last October, Dundee-born General Sir Gordon Messenger became the 161st Constable of the Tower of London.
When he was officially installed, he became the first Royal Marine to hold the post, which has been recruiting from senior ranks of the Army since 1784.
A Vice Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ministry of Defence until he retired in May 2019, his illustrious operationally heavy military career included command of the Royal Marines during the Iraq War leading 40 Commando in the assault on the Al Faw Peninsula.
He was the British Commander of Task Force Helmand in Afghanistan in 2008, and was awarded an OBE for his services in Kosovo in 2000.
Today, the Constable of Britainās most popular paid-for tourist attraction is concerned with largely ceremonial duties.
But he is still notionally in charge of the operation, upkeep and security of the Tower and all those who live and work within it, from the Yeoman Warders, to the ravens, the Crown Jewels and the Tower Guards who protect them.
In keeping with the historic grandeur of the role, the new Constableās first day at work was a spectacular event, heralded by fanfares, processions and ancient ceremony, which formed part of his formal āinstallationā in His Majestyās Tower of London.
Honour to follow in historic footsteps
In an exclusive interview with The Courier, General Messenger, 61, said it was an honour to follow in the footsteps of some illustrious predecessors.
āIām the 161st Constable ā the first being appointed by William the Conqueror at the time when the White Tower was first constructed in the 1070s,ā he said.
āThomas Becket was a Constable, and the Duke of Wellington was a Constable.
āA lot of quite eminent military individuals have performed that role.
āYou really feel you are joining in a line of historical figures in whatās a really historic postā.
What are Tower of London General Messenger’s Dundee connections?
Born at Dundee Royal Infirmary in 1962, most of General Messengerās childhood was spent in Dunblane.
But he remains proud of his Dundee roots and will tell anyone who asks that thatās where heās from.
His parents were brought up, met and married in Dundee where his father was a former pupil of Harris Academy.
When Gordon was a child, theyād make regular summer trips from Dunblane to visit his grandparents in Kinloch Terrace, occasionally visiting Broughty Ferry.
In the 1990s, when he was serving with the Royal Marines at RM Condor, Arbroath, the Dundee connections went full circle when his eldest daughter was born at Ninewells Hospital.
He still has extended family in the Dundee area.
Today though, since being appointed Constable and following his military career, his home with wife Sarah has been the Tudor-built Kingās House in the Tower of London itself.
What’s it like to live in the Tower of London?
āThe house we live in was built in 1539,ā he said.
āItās on the Tower Green which is the more peaceful part of the Tower.
āItās the oldest and best preserved woodenĀ framed building in London, because of course it was protected from the Great Fire by being inside the stone walls of the tower.
āItās a very historic building.
āGuy Fawkes was interrogated in the dining room.
āThomas More was kept in the cell in the tower next to it. Itās got a lot of history!ā
General Messenger was appointed Constable of the Tower by Queen Elizabeth II in July 2022.
The official installation, when the Lord Chamberlain entrusted him with the ceremonial keys, took place last October.
During the intervening period, of course, the Queen died.
The Tower and its community were heavily involved both in the funeral of her late majesty and also the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in May.
On a practical level, his formal residence went from being called the āQueenās Houseā to the āKingās Houseā.
Thereās also been the gradual changing of regalia and cyphers from āEIIRā to āKIIIRā.
However, having served his entire military service under the service of the Queen, he said the Queenās passing also required an element of āemotional recalibrationā.
The role of Constable was originally to protect the king in London.
But General Messenger explains that his role today is āpurely ceremonialā.
Responsibilities include hosting members of the royal family when they visit the Tower or other prominent visitors.
Heās involved with gun salutes, state parades and the swearing in of Yeoman Warders.
Thereās a great sense of camaraderie amongst the 35 Warders, and with them all being ex-military, he feels a strong connection with them himself.
Tower of London ‘Beefeater’ Tam Reilly
One man that General Messenger knows well is fellow Dundonian Tam Reilly, who became the Tower of Londonās 414th āBeefeaterā in January 2022.
He was part of the Constable installation ceremony and was also involved with the gun salute to mark the Coronation of HM King Charles III and Queen Camilla in May this year.
Speaking with The Courier from London, Tam, 60, explained that after 35 yearsā service with the Royal Air Force, he swapped uniforms to join the other Yeoman Warders who live and work within the Tower.
Growing up in Dundeeās Hilltown and Mid Craigie, the former pupil of St Maryās Forebank Primary, St Vincentās RC Primary and St Saviourās RC High School, worked in various unskilled jobs before he ātook the plungeā and joined the Royal Air Force Regiment aged 23.
Where did Tam serve with the RAF?
After his first posting to RAF Leuchars, he served for 6.5 years in Germany at RAF Bruggen followed by a clutch of RAF stations in East Anglia.
It was while on a city break to Bath that the father-of-two spotted the advert for the coveted āBeefeaterā role and, as a lifelong history lover, decided to apply.
āIāve always had an interest in history,ā he said.
āBut I think it really started when I went to see Zulu at the Plaza on the Hilltown with my mum.
āI must have been about nine, so early 1970s-ish.
āFrom that, I had a hankering for military history.
āI visited South Africa to go and see the sites of the Zulu wars and the Boer wars.
āThat burgeoned out into a wider interest of British and European history.ā
What’s the history and role of the Tower of London ‘Beefeaters’?
āBeefeatersā were originally part of the Yeoman of the Guard ā the monarchās personal, crack bodyguard who travelled with him everywhere.
Henry VIII decided that the Tower should be protected by part of the royal bodyguard.
These āYeoman Wardersā were eventually granted the right to wear the splendid red uniform, which today is known as the state dress uniform and is worn on state occasions such as the monarchās birthday.
The more durable everyday dark blue āundressā uniform was introduced in the 19th Century.
Itās thought the nickname āBeefeaterā comes from the time when Yeoman Warders were given a daily ration of meat for their duties.
Todayās Yeoman Warders need to have at least 22 yearsā military service.
They also need to have reached a certain rank and to have been awarded the long service and good conduct medal.
Tam admits, however, that before taking up his post, heād never been to the Tower.
It was therefore a ābit of an eye openerā when he went there for his initial interview.
āWithin the military the role is very coveted,ā he said.
āPeople that know of Yeoman Warders: they look at them with admiration and respect.
āFor me, it was the honour of getting the role that attracted me.
āThereās only been 422 Yeoman Warders up to this point, and Iām 414.
āAfter a great career in the RAF where I achieved the highest non-commissioned rank possible, what better job than the Tower of London?ā
What’s it like for Tam and his family living in the Tower of London?
Yeoman Warders lead tours, present talks and lectures, answer questions on the Towerās past and pose for photographs.
But they also hold a traditional ceremonial role as Extraordinary Members of The Kingās Bodyguard.
Tam lives in the Tower with his wife Lindsey and 24-year-old son Levi who are āliterally living the life of Reillyā.
When they first moved in, heād look out of his window at the 13th Century walls and think: āWow, I canāt believe Iām actually living here surrounded by this unique historyā.
As time has gone on, however, heās become accustomed to the surroundings.
āI finish my dayās work, go home, put the dinner on and wonder whatās on TV,ā he said.
āIt does help, though, that thereās a private pub on the grounds called The Keys.
“A wee tipple can help sometimes!ā
What’s been the highlight of Tam’s time in the services and as a ‘Beefeater’?
Although the Tower of London, now cared for by the charity Historic Royal Palaces, was built as a palace and a fortress, itās role as a prison is often the most famous.
When Tam has time, he likes to indulge in some research and ājoin the dotsā of history.
His ābiggest honourā though came last year when the Yeomanry Warders joined the Yeoman of the Guard to watch over Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II when she lay in state at Westminster Hall.
Working a rota through the night from 4.30pm to 8am, the Yeoman Warders did 20-minute stints interspersed with an hour off in between.
āThat was definitely the biggest honour Iāve had throughout my (RAF) service and now career here as a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London,ā he said.
āIt was such an honour to stand guard over that coffin and listen and hear the thousands of people who filed past, saying āthank youā to you for your service, and for looking after her.ā
Head of Hampton Court Palace: Rachel Mackay
Another Dundonian playing a prominent role at Londonās historic royal palaces is Rachel Mackay.
Last autumn, the former Blackness Primary and Harris Academy pupil, who studied medieval history at the University of St Andrews, took over as the head of Henry VIIIās famous Hampton Court Palace.
The now 37-year started the role in June last year as interim manager.
She was given the job on a permanent basis last September.
Chatting with The Courier from her Hampton Court office, sheās in no doubt that her love of local history – and early jobs in Dundee – were the perfect preparation for the prestigious role she has now.
āMy parents still live in the west end of Dundee, and they were really good at taking me to places ā Glamis Castle, Scone Palace and the like,ā she said.
āWe always did that as a family.
āI was always in to Horrible Histories books.
“They were like my passion when I was 10, 11, 12.
āBut the social history of Dundee has always really interested me.
“The jute mills and the women that worked there, and the idea of it being this kind of āShe Townā.
“Thatās really fascinating.ā
How volunteering in Dundee fuelled Rachel’s passion for history
Rachelās passion for history was fuelled at the age of 15 when she started volunteering at Dundeeās Verdant Works.
From there she worked part-time in the cafe of Dundee Science Centre for six years.
While studying at the University of St Andrews, she also worked for a spell in the St Andrews Castle visitor centre.
After graduating, and with fewer opportunities in Scotland at the time, she moved to London and worked at Madame Tussauds, the Natural History Museum and as a manager at Kew PalaceĀ at Kew Palace before her current role.
What are Rachel’s responsibilities at Hampton Court Palace?
As one of four āheads of palaceā employed by Historic Royal Palaces, her job at Hampton CourtĀ involves managing the daily operational team.
Itās very much a āfacilitation and co-ordinationā kind of leadership role.
However, with visitor experience being her passion, and keen to retain direct contact with the public, she also does a weekend āon the floorā every few weeks as duty manager ā the part of the job that she finds āmost satisfyingā.
Rachel says she didnāt visit Hampton Court Palace growing up. In fact, she was hardly ever in London when younger ā remembering a trip to Madame Tussauds and the Millennium Dome when she at school.
However, despite being based in London now, she still has a āhuge connectionā with Dundee.
Sheās back up the road a lot ā as she will be in a few weeks for a tourism conference.
She laughs that visitors to her office at Hampton Court sometimes think sheās an outpost of the Dundee tourist information centre ā such is the propensity of Dundee coasters and posters everywhere.
Hampton Court Palace links to King Henry VIII and Bridgerton are a draw for tourists
āHampton Court is the largest remaining Tudor building,ā said Rachel.
āItās got the most amount of Tudor stuff and architecture.
āIt has that reputation as the āHouse of Henryā, so thatās definitely a tourist draw.
āHowever, saying that, half the palace is Tudor and the other half is baroque or Georgian.
āThe baroque part has been overshadowed by Henry.
āBut now because of Bridgerton and things like that – a lot of that was filmed at Hampton Court – as well as the new show Queen Charlotte, the Georgians are having a bit of a revival at the moment which is quite fun.ā
When it comes to the modern royal family, King Charles is the Historic Royal Palaces patron.
Heās already visited Hampton Court twice since becoming monarch.
He accompanied Queen Camilla for a reading festival there in the summer.
One person sheās not yet seen at Hampton Court Palace, however, is fellow University of St Andrews graduate Prince William, the Prince of Wales.
āWe never met at St Andrews!ā laughed Rachel, who was two years below him at university.
āHeās not been to Hampton Court since Iāve been here. He did come to the Natural History Museum once when I was there when we opened the Darwin Centre.
āI very much doubt he would say āoh I remember you!āā she laughed.
āHowever, Iām sure Iād find something to say if we did meet.ā
Has Rachel ever met her fellow Dundee-born Historic Royal Palace employees?
Rachel was also at the ceremony of General Sir Gordon Messenger when he was installed as Constable at the Tower of London.
However, similarly to Tam Reilly, they havenāt actually met.
āWhen the new Constable is installed itās a bit of a ceremony,ā she said.
āI didnāt talk to him. There are so many people there.
āBut there are a lot of other Scottish people that work here as well, so it is quite a group.ā
What’s it like having a Scottish perspective of royal palace history?
With her Scottish perspective, Rachel said working at the palace can be āinterestingā.
While the Tower of London was once the residence of Scots prisoners like freedom fighter William Wallace, James I of Scotland, and Jacobite Flora MacDonald, Hampton Court also has controversial links.
Thereās an art gallery called the Cumberland Gallery, for example, which was the bedroom suite of the Duke of Cumberland, notorious for his slaughter of Jacobites and their supporters after the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
āWhenever anyone says that, obviously Iām just thinking āButcher Cumberlandā!ā smiled Rachel.
āThereās a slightly different viewĀ on it (being Scottish) which is quite interesting when we are having meetings about exhibitions and things that are coming up.
āSuddenly the Scottish people can pipe up with a slightly different take on things, which is quite fun!ā
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