ESSEX county councillor Kevin Bentley met the Duke of Edinburgh in 2007.

The Duke was patron of the Round Table and was on hand to celebrate the charity’s 80th birthday.

Colchester councillor Mr Bentley was a former national president of the Round Table as well as chairman of the Colchester Colne Round Table and met the prince at a celebratory lunch in Birmingham.

He said: “My heartfelt thoughts and sorrow go out to Her Majesty the Queen.

“I have had the privilege of meeting him twice – when I was the president of the national association of the Round Table, he was the patent and I met him in that capacity.

“He was a thoroughly charming man.

“He was one who would not ignore people at all, he would speak to people about anything and everything.

“He was quite knowledgeable and very inquiring, wanted to know about what you were doing, and very interested in us as individuals and well as the work Round Table did.”

Mr Bentley also recognises the Duke’s services to the country, pointing to the Duke of Edinburgh award and his wartime record.

“He enabled young people to fulfil their potential in whatever they wanted to do,” he added.

“I think he was a real man of the people.”

  • Mr Bentley is standing in the Colchester and Essex County Council elections. The other candidates in the Marks Tey and Layer ward are Neil Gilbranch, Ind; Mark Hull, Lib Dem; Amy Sheridan, Green and John Spademan, Lab. In the Stanway & Pyefleet Division they are Mike Lilley, Lab; John McArthur, Green and Lesley Scott-Boutell, Lib Dem.