Local singer shares her experience with Queen Elizabeth II

Iris Williams remembers her favorite moment singing in front of Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She sang a song called He was beautiful. Williams is from Wales and says she sang her way into a beautiful life. "Well, you know, growing up, I had problems because I was the only black child but you fight all that because my, talent saved me," says Williams. Her talents afforded her the opportunity to meet the Queen numerous times.

"She was so natural," says Williams when she met the Queen. "You know, I asked her about her sister Margaret, and she smiled and we talked about different things of charity and what we do, and I wished her well, and she wished me well".

Iris William also was awarded the Order of The British Empire (O.B.E.). December 2003, Williams says "it was a wonderful honor and nervous, of course. But the Queen made me feel very relaxed" when she was awarded by the Queen. "The Queen was always traveling", Williams said, and "doing charity events for needy children". Williams was once one of those children, growing up in the foster system. As an adult, she would sing for free at charity concerts. Williams sang for the Queen many times and shared that she loved meeting the Queen and that sometimes, it was taken for granted.

Singing at The Royal Albert Hall was nothing normal to the United Kingdom superstar, but she remembers a very special occasion when she interacted with the Queen. "A lot of stars were there; John Collins, Tom Jones", says Williams. "There was a big duel in the Albert Hall. And that was for the children in need. And she was there. We met afterward and we had a nice little chat. She's going to be really missed. And I'm very, very sad. But you know what 96 is It's a good ending but she gave her life to the people.