Derbyshire woman nicknamed 'Lady Fi' shares three significant events that linked her mum to Queen Elizabeth

Fiona Land, who lives in Bullbridge, Ambergate, said of her mum Brenda Land: "She was quite proud that she was born in the same year and got married in the same year as the Queen.

"Mum followed the Queen as she grew up. She loved watching her on telly and discussing what colour she was wearing and the style of her hat.

"Like the Queen my Mum was very family orientated; she loved her children and her grandchildren.”

Back in 1947 and two months before the Queen married her Prince in a fairytale ceremony at Windsor Castle, Brenda (nee Williams) tied the knot with Len Land at Crich Parish Church. Commenting on her parents' wedding, Fiona said: "It was quite a simple affair, not very grand. My Mum borrowed her wedding dress from a friend - she looked beautiful." The newly-weds held their reception at the village hall and went to Worthing for their honeymoon.

Brenda and Len's marriage set the seal on a relationship that had begun seven years earlier. Fiona said: "Mum met my dad when they were 14, they had left school and were working at Lea Mills at John Smedley. Mum said straightaway there was a connection between them. My dad asked my mum out but she wouldn't go because she thought he was arrogant! Eventually he persuaded her and she went to the cinema with him. She was 19 when they got engaged."

Len joined the Royal Air Force and served as a wireless operator in bomber command flying Lancaster planes during the Second World War. Fiona said: "He was a bit of a hero, a very handsome Brylcreem boy."

After the war ended Len left the RAF and trained as a teacher in Sheffield. He worked at Woodbridge School in Alfreton and Ironville School, retiring as a primary school teacher when he was 60.

Len and Brenda, who was known as Bren, moved to Holloway in the Seventies where they raised daughters Judith and Fiona. Their eldest daughter, who is now Judith Heywood and living in Matlock, and her younger sister presented their parents with five grandchildren.

In the early years of married life Len and Brenda had a Corgi, the Queen's favourite dog, who they named Kim.

Brenda continued working at John Smedley’s until she was 60 and one of the highlights was seeing Queen Elizabeth when she visited the knitwear factory.

Len passed away 12 years ago at the age of 85.

Brenda, who attributed her long life to a tot of whisky in her tea every morning, died just three days short of her 96th birthday in January this year. Fiona said: "My Mum died quite suddenly like the Queen. She got sepsis and was very well up until the last few weeks before she died at home. Mum used to say 'I wonder whether I'll outlive the Queen or she will outlive me.

"The only times my Mum was in hospital was when she broke her hip in 1985 and when she had her two children."

Giggling as she recalled how Brenda used to entertain visitors, Fiona said: "My Mum's party trick was to sit on the sofa and swing her leg up and down - she could nearly get her leg up to her ear. She did that right up until a few weeks before she passed away. I remember saying to her: 'I wonder if the Queen could do this, Mum."

Fiona, 61, who has three children, teaches gymnastics at after-school clubs. She said: "I've been a gymnast since I was eight and it's never left me. I can still do basic gymnastics, cartwheels, handstands and the splits."

She is employed as a part-time business services assistant at Derbyshire County Council and began working there at a time when Lady Diana was hitting the headlines. She said: "As I was the same age as Diana, I was very interested in her. She was known as Lady Di and because my name was Fiona I got nicknamed Lady Fi - I still get called Lady Fi by my work colleagues!"