Charles and Queen today led a royal send off for their dear friend and former Arsenal chairman Sir ‘Chips’ Keswick following his death aged 84.

The King and Queen were joined at a memorial service for the late merchant banker by the great and the good from the Gunners’ past, including former captains Tony Adams and David O’Leary.

The Queen’s former husband, Andrew Parker-Bowles, and Nicholas Soames, the grandson of Winston Churchill, were also in attendance at the event in central London.

Sir Chips – full name John Chippendale Lindley Keswick – was a descendant of the family which controls Jardine Matheson, the Hong Kong-based business empire.

The businessman joined Arsenal’s board in November 2005 and stepped down as chairman in May 2020, having previously been a vice-chairman of Hambros bank between 1986 and 1998.

He was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II for services to banking in 1993.

The King and Queen attended the service at the church in Knightsbridge wearing elegant black outfits. 

Camilla opted for a long black dress with intricate white embroidery down the centre and adorned with two delicate leaf broaches. 

She finished off her look with a pair of black heels and matching black gloves and a wide-brimmed hat. 

The pair were seen entering the church separately to the Queen’s former husband, Andrew Parker-Bowles who wore a blue suit and light grey tie with a pink carnation in his lapel. 

Other mourners who had gathered to pay their respects and support to Lady Sarah included the grandson of Winston Churchill, former MP Nicholas Soames who gave the address.

While Chips was a racing, shooting and fishing enthusiast he was not a tolerant Bridge player. When the chips were down so was Chips,’ he reminisced.

Meanwhile, their Majesties were treated to a sedate arrangement of the Match of the Day theme tune at the end of the touching service.

In a mark of respect to their former chairman, ex-Arsenal players Tony Adams and David O’Leary attended the service. 

The businessman oversaw four major FA cup wins for the team before he stepped down and after his death was announced the club released a heartfelt statement. 

Arsenal’s statement read: ‘Sir Chips will be greatly missed by everyone at Arsenal who knew him and we extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Lady Sarah and their children David, Tobias and Adam.’

Chips and his wife were married in 1966 and were great friends of the royals. 

It was at Lady Sarah’s 50th birthday party, held at the Ritz in 1995, that the then Prince of Wales first appeared in public with Camilla, shortly after her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles.

Camilla regularly stayed at the Keswicks’ Sutherland estate, sometimes joined by Charles. 

‘Sarah makes [the King] laugh,’ a friend observed after she’d been appointed one of the Queen’s Companions.

The four were so close  Chips and Camilla jointly owned And Reach For The Moon, one of the horses bred by Queen Elizabeth.

Sometimes caught between his love of Arsenal and his love of horses, the banker had to make difficult decisions. 

His horse, Present View won the Cheltenham Novices’ Handicap Chase in 2014 but  Keswick was with Arsenal in Germany for a match against Bayern Munich.

According to legend, he stopped the team bus to watch the race after his side was beaten by the German team 3-1.

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