The 'Duchess', as Gwen Harley is fondly referred to as, was given a flashback to her early working life in London when she received a card from the Queen on her 100th birthday.
Gwen, who reached the milestone on July 4, once worked in service for a well connected family in the capital. She was just 12 years old when she first went to work for the gentry and one day met the future Queen Elizabeth as a little girl.
Her grand daughter Caroline Neate said: "Gwen has watched Downton Abbey, but says it is too modern and prefers upstairs downstairs.
"The nursery maid used to bring the Queen to the gardens of the house where she worked, and Gwen said she could have reached out to touch her she was that close.
"Gwen tells such lovely stories, some are funny, others are very sad and emotional.
"She is a very strong person for her age."
Originally from Pontypridd in South Wales, Gwen met her husband Bill, who was from Builth Wells a short distance across the Welsh valleys. Bill was called up to the army at the outbreak of the second world war.
Gwen raised her two sons Myron and Gareth single handedly whilst he was in North Africa fighting with the Desert Rats.
The couple would not see each other for six years, with only the odd letter home as confirmation that Bill was still alive.
During her time alone, Gwen kept several jobs going to support her young family. Her sister in law and other family members helped look after the boys.
Her sister Plena is 90 and is still working on her farm in Mountain Ash, but her brother Glan has sadly passed away.
Caroline added: "When Bill came back from the war Gwen packed in all her jobs as she thought she would be ok financially. But she soon worked out she was half a crown worse off because she had to keep Bill and he smoked like a trooper after being in the army.
"Gwen now has three grandchildren, seven great grandchildren an seven more great great grandchildren.
"She was thrilled to get a card from the Queen and is very loyal to the royals.
"When I take her shopping she always dresses up and wears a nice hat, she is very proud.
"But she has had cancer three times. Gwen has beaten it twice, but is now taking pills for her breast cancer. She is too old to operate and takes one day at a time."
Gwen moved to Gloucester from mid-Wales in 1996 to be nearer to her two sons who worked for the railway when their railway jobs in Builth were made redundant.
Gwen celebrated her special day with a family gathering at the home in Gloucester.
