Alan and Brenda Royal celebrate 60 years of marriage

A Botesdale couple who marked 60 years of marriage yesterday have proved that you don’t need a prince, palace or public holiday to celebrate a Royal wedding.

Alan and Brenda Royal, of Rose Lane, met in 1956 after Brenda, who was working as a window dresser at the Co-op, caught the eye of Alan, who had just come back from National Service.

“The next day he came in and ordered a pound of sugar, a quarter of tea and a pint of milk,” said Brenda, 82.

“Then he read out his Army number instead of his mother’s share number and I thought he was idiot and said I wasn’t serving him again.”

But Alan, who also celebrated his 82nd birthday yesterday, persevered and proposed to Brenda in her mother’s front room the following year. They were married at St Mary’s Church in Ixworth on August 9, 1958.

The couple had four children, Gwendoline Ann, Derek John, Amanda Jane and Neil. They also have 10 grandchildren and welcomed their first great-grandchild in March.

As well as spending time with their family, which the couple agreed has been the highlight of the last 60 years, Brenda cited a ‘give and take’ attitude as the secret to their long-lasting marriage.

“There’s no use in me saying that we never argued or anything because we did. You can’t live together and be married for 60 years and not have a cross word to say,” she said. “But I think the main thing is to talk to each other about everything. It’s a partnership really.”