A DATE with royalty was one of the first duties for Wear Valley District Council's new chairwoman, Councillor Margaret Pinkney.
Hours after Coun Pinkney chaired her council meeting on Wednesday, she enjoyed lunch with the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
She was among a delegation of civic dignitaries to greet the royal couple at Durham Castle on their golden jubilee tour.
Coun Pinkney, who has represented Willington West and Sunnybrow for seven years, took over the role from Councillor Wilf Dobinson.
She said: "It is an important role and I hope to represent the area with dignity and continue to be dedicated to the council and the area it covers.
"Meeting the Queen and Prince Philip was lovely and a really fantastic way to start my term as chairman."
Coun Pinkney, of Belle View, Willington, has been a member of the Labour party for 30 years, with her husband David.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article