MY FIFTEEN MINUTES

According to Andy Warhol we all have our fifteen minutes of fame.

I reckon that mine must have been in May 1981. The scene was the Famous Grouse Carriage Driving Championships held in the grounds of Scone Palace. Securing an ideal spot to park the car overlooking the main arena, I set out with my wife Isabel to walk the cross country obstacle course leaving our daughter Jane and her then boy friend John in charge of the car.

In our absence one of the competitors came along with his carriage and team of four and attempted to turn only to find that the car was in his way. He asked if they would mind moving it but the keys were in my pocket. He then asked if one of them could get behind the wheel and release the handbrake to enable him to push the car and John duly obliged. At this point the press photographers had arrived on the scene to capture this spectacle on film. It was all over the tabloids the next day complete with pictures of Jane and John with the car including a mention of my name as the owner. When we eventually returned we found Jane and John in a state of high excitement. No wonder the competitor in question was none other than H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh.

My claim to fame, Prince Philip pushed my car and I wasn’t there!

Bob MacDonald.