The diamond wedding anniversary of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh tomorrow will bring back happy memories for Douglas Higgins.

He was in the choir at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947, when our future monarch, then Princess Elizabeth, married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten.

He was one of 36 pupils at the abbey's choir school, and the announcement of the Royal wedding, the first major national event since the war, was greeted with great joy and enthusiasm by everyone.

Mr Higgins, a retired teacher, of Spinage Close, Faringdon, writes: "The first real indication for us of the wedding was being awakened by the loud, echoing, unfamiliar grating sounds of horses' hooves early one Sunday morning.

"Looking out, we saw numerous soldiers in khaki, horses by the dozen snorting, and the whole yard encircled by carriages.

"Later, at breakfast, we learned that this was a rehearsal for the Royal Wedding."

The choirboys had to learn an anthem specially composed for the occasion by the abbey organist, William McKie, We wait for thy loving kindness, O Lord, and Crimond, with the descant.

Mr Higgins recalls: "The Princess wanted the descant, but no-one knew who had composed it or where there was a copy.

"So Mr McKie was summoned to the Palace where she sang it to him. He wrote it down on a scrap of paper."

The day before the wedding, the Royal Family attended a rehearsal and, afterwards, the choir lined the centre aisle of the nave as the Royal party left.

"I can remember thinking as they came towards us that I would be standing near the King and Queen.

"The Queen, as always, managed to speak to most of the boys, including me. What she said and what I replied, I do not know.

"My lasting memory was of the best man, the Marquess of Milford Haven, tripping over the white sheet that covered the red carpet and Princess laughing at him."

On the wedding day, the 91 choristers had to give up their choir stalls to guests and sang from the cramped organ loft.

But first, they had to wait nervously to lead the bride from the Great West Door.

"As the bride arrived, a deafening fanfare, which made me jump, echoed round the Abbey. Leading the Princess towards the High Altar, we sang Praise my Soul the King of Heaven."

Then came the task of climbing - and later descending - the narrow organ loft steps without tripping and in complete silence - no easy task wearing a cassock and surplice.

"It was obviously a great occasion, but we were just choir boys doing another job for which we had practised hard.

"It was not till much later that one became pleased and proud of having played a small part in such a momentous event."

Winston Churchill had described the wedding as "the first splash of colour" after six years of war.

The following month, HMV arrived to record the Royal Wedding music on a 78rpm disc which Mr Higgins still has.

The Abbey choirboys were widely praised for their contribution to the wedding - and, as a reward, were given the Saturday morning off.