This story is something that happened to me once on a trip to London in 2007. Some time has passed now, but I’ve never had a chance to tell the story and I’m finding it, now, trying to pry its way out of my sub conscience and onto the written page (who am I to fight with my brain when it wants to do something.)

It began on a beautiful November morning in London as I passed through the gates from Trafalgar Square to The Mall. I was hoping to secure a good place near the palace to observe the changing of the guards - which I knew was soon. To my surprise the entire street was lined with guards, police and security personnel armed with machine guns.

Although I had never seen a changing of the guards before, I knew right away that there was something different about this one. I found myself a nice place next to the security barrier and waited. There weren’t too many people at this end of the street - most were on the other end by the palace - but I was content with my spot.

Soon the parade of people and carriages started passing by. I had a clear view and was able to get some great pictures of the event, so I was happy.

I was busy taking it all in when a familiar tune caught my ear - what was it? "My country tis of thee, sweet land of …” - oh but no, it wasn't the familiar American patriotic tune, it was "God save the Queen". That could only mean one thing - the arrival of the Queen.

The excitement of the crowd was magnified as the carriage carrying Queen Elisabeth II came into view. She was inside waving to the crowd. I could see her well because her carriage was only about twenty feet or less from where I was standing. I was breathless.

"How amazing," I thought to myself, "and to think that I had only come here expecting to catch the changing of the guard, but ended up with a glimpse of the Queen."

I’m not normally one to get “star-struck”, but I’d have to admit, I was in awe of the event that was unfolding before me. Finally, when my reporter instincts kicked in again, I was able to snap a few pictures of the carriage as it went by.

I watched as the Queen’s entourage turned the corner and headed off to the parliament building just down the street, and reflected to myself on just how lucky I was to be in that particular spot at that particular time.

After the event, I made my way down to Buckingham Palace to catch the “actual” changing of the guards, but the memory of seeing the Queen will always remain as one of the top highlights of my life. It’s a good lesson that sometimes just taking in the culture can have some very surprising rewards.