THERE are times in this job when you have to pinch yourself. Last night, at Buckingham Palace, was so surreal, I woke up this morning wondering if it had been a dream.

There I was, at a media reception to mark The Queen's forthcoming Diamond Jubilee, surrounded by such well-known faces as Eamon Holmes, Fearne Cotton, Philip Schofield, Andrew Marr and John Humphrys.

I admit to being like a kid in a sweet shop, awe-struck by the history of the surroundings and the prospect of meeting the Royal Family, including The Queen and Prince Philip, Charles and Camilla and Kate and William.

We were standing in the same room in which the great and the good gather for their knighthoods, MBEs and the like and I was offered a canape.

"Could you please tell me what it is?" I asked.

"Goats cheese, beetroot and pureed pea," replied the waitress.

It sounded like more than your average canape so I took it, only to promptly drop it on the pink carpet, just underneath a Rembrandt.

Having left a nasty green smudge on the thick pile, I didn't know what to do with the canape so I held onto it.

Suddenly, there was a flurry of activity to signal that The Queen was approaching. I looked round, momentarily thought about hiding the canape behind the Rembrandt, then scoffed it.

It's the first and final time I've eaten a goats cheese, beetroot, pureed pea and fluff canape.

The Queen came over for a chat and was very nice. She talked of her pride in Prince William, who had been involved in a daring helicopter rescue the day before, and urged us to have a good look at all the paintings.

"I'm so pleased so many of the regional papers have been able to come," she added.

She might change her mind when she sees that green smudge on the carpet.

I doubt that I'll be back for a knighthood.