Golf legend Sir Nick Faldo was ‘brought back down to earth’ by the Queen after arriving at Buckingham Palace without a jacket or tie

Sir Nick Faldo is golfing royalty, but among actual royalty he’s just a golfer.

The six-time major winner, who was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2009, was years before awarded a privilege so few others received – a private lunch in Buckingham Palace.

However, his memorable day proved to be something of a comedy of errors due to his own bad organisation, but also as a result of an innocent enquiry from the Queen, which inadvertently led to a humbling experience for the Ryder Cup legend.

The world has been paying tribute to the beloved monarch following her sad death at the age of 96 on Thursday.

If ever the phrase ‘end of an era’ has been true, it is now. For many of us the Queen was the only British monarch we have known, with a 70 year reign making Elizabeth II the longest reigning in history.

Messages of remembrance have poured in from every corner of the globe, as well as tributes from across the sporting world to a Queen who was a huge advocate of sport, with a particular passion for horses.

Reacting to the news on air, talkSPORT shared messages made to the Queen and spoke to those who shared their memories of her humility, personality and undeniable sense of humour.

And one of those stories came in the form of Sir Nick’s autobiography, Life Swings.

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talkSPORT host Adrian Durham read: “Topping the whole year off I was awarded an MBE, not bad for a kid from Welwyn Garden City and a council house as well.

“Following which I was summoned back to Buckingham Palace for a private lunch with the Queen which the butler had informed me had been done for the first time in 25 years. I felt very honoured indeed.

“There had been a major panic in the house that morning, so major I have no recollection of the reasons for the ensuing mad-cap dash to the palace where I arrived tieless and jacketless.

“There were a few of us present from all walks of life, we were served champagne when I heard a scratching noise on the wooden floor outside and six corgis crashed in followed by Her Majesty the Queen.

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“At lunch, I sat beside the governor of Holloway Women’s Prison.

“‘And what do you do?’ She enquired.

“‘I’m a golfer,’ I said.

“‘Oh, really? Are you any good?’”

“If you’re going to be brought back down to earth I guess there is no other place than Buckingham Palace.”