Queen Elizabeth II lookalike has no plans to retire

By Ed Chatterton via SWNS

A professional lookalike of Queen Elizabeth II has revealed she has no plans to retire and has been inundated with bookings following the queen's death.

Patricia Ford, 87, has been making appearances as Queen Elizabeth II across the globe for the past 20 years.

The widowed mom-of-two began working as a lookalike in 2002 after after people kept stopping her in the street mistaking her for the real thing.

She has since appeared hundreds of times at events both domestically and abroad, made a film with Sir Michael Caine and starred in multiple TV shows.

But despite Queen Elizabeth II's passing this week, the retired secretary said she has no plans to hang up her crown as she is still getting requests for future bookings.

And she believes she could be Britain's only remaining lookalike of Queen Elizabeth II after all the others retired or died.

"I want to carry on her legacy and I'll keep on going until people don't want me to do it anymore," said Patricia, of Tamworth, Staffs.

"All the other Queen lookalikes I know of have retired or died, so I've outlived the fake Queens - and now the real one as well.

"The last one I knew on the circuit couldn't drive so had to be picked up to go anywhere, whereas I still drive around, catch the train and take myself of anywhere.

"I've had some adventures being The Queen. I was in a movie called Youth with Michael Caine which was shown at Cannes.

"I shared a dressing room with him and he was a lovely and charming man. His grandchildren were all dying to meet me.

"I was also booked to go down to Wills and Kate's wedding where I mingled with all the crowds shaking peoples hands.

"Everywhere I've gone in the world she has been well regarded so I can understand why people everywhere are mourning her loss.

"Whatever country it was, fans would be queuing around the block to have tea with The Queen.

"I'm going up to an event next week in Liverpool. This will be the first after her death so we'll see what reaction I get.

"People who are deceased like Winston Churchill still have doubles working so hopefully I can keep doing it.

"It's mainly just walking around, shaking people's hands and being nice. But pretty much everyone loved The Queen so it's always been very enjoyable.

"I've been to the Albert Hall and as soon as I appeared, people started clapping and cheering - it's really remarkable how she's been welcomed everywhere I have been.

"I'm used to people doing double takes of me in the street but it might be an even stranger experience for people now she's gone.

Patricia Ford, Queen Elizabeth II lookalike. (Anita Maric via SWNS

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“I think at times I have been busier than the real Queen. During the jubilee's I was up and down the country.

"And at the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 I was even flown to a private party in New York. It's been brilliant fun and I hope Her Majesty would approve."

Reacting to tQueen Elizabeth II's death, she added: "I had been out for lunch with friends and returned home. I went to watch the tennis but obviously saw the sad news.

"It wasn't surprising at her age, but it still comes as shock. She did her duty and was a lovely lady so it is a great loss to the country.

"She looked like she was doing okay two days previously, so it all happened very quickly I imagine and she drifted out of this world without too much pain or discomfort.

"It's nice that she is reunited with her husband again and I think Charles will make a good King."

Patricia, who still works as an exam invigilator at Tamworth College, was snapped up by a lookalike agency two decades ago and her rates start at £850 ($994).

"People kept saying 'my gosh, you look like the Queen' so I had some photographs taken, sent them to agencies and it spiraled from there," she said.

"I was getting mistaken for her, even when I wasn't intending to and then I read in a magazine about lookalike agencies and thought 'I could do that'.

"It all just snowballed from there and after my husband's death I wanted something to focus on so I just went for it.

"The most engagements I've ever done was 59 in a year but the enquiries have already been going up since The Queen died."

Patricia said she never got to meet Queen Elizabeth II , but she did once cross paths with her daughter Princess Anne.

"This was before I started doing lookalike work but she didn't say anything about me looking like her mother," she said.

"She was a very pleasant lady as well but I've always just seen royals and celebrities like normal people.

"I never got to meet The Queen unfortunately - I would have loved to have known what she made of all this. Maybe we'll meet one day on the other side."