Entertainment

Penny Lancaster takes to the streets to police Queen’s funeral procession

The 51-year-old former model is now a special police constable for City of London Police.
The 51-year-old former model is now a special police constable for City of London Police. The 51-year-old former model is now a special police constable for City of London Police.

Penny Lancaster has taken to the streets of central London as part of the force policing the Queen’s funeral procession.

The TV presenter and former model, who is married to Sir Rod Stewart, completed her training to become a special police constable for City of London Police in April 2021.

She was pictured on Monday making her way through busy crowds in the area surrounding Westminster and Buckingham Palace while wearing the red and white chequered sleeve and cap bands of the force.

Video showed her alongside another member of the City of London Police, moving between members of the public waiting to see the procession pass by.

Royal Academy of Arts awards
Royal Academy of Arts awards Sir Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster meeting the Queen in 2016 (Jeff Spicer/PA)

Lancaster began volunteering with the force after appearing in the Channel 4 show Famous And Fighting Crime, in which celebrities swapped their day jobs with those of emergency service professionals.

In November last year, Sir Rod spoke about her move on The Graham Norton Show, saying: “She trained for eight months, and she loves it. I backed her all the way.

“She says she loves giving something back, but more importantly she wants to protect the city she loves.”

The Queen’s funeral marks the conclusion of what is being regarded as the biggest security operation the UK has ever seen, outstripping the London 2012 Olympics which saw up to 10,000 police officers on duty per day.

Lancaster met the Queen, and the new King, on a number of occasions when her husband performed for them and during charity events throughout the years.

Last week, she recalled fond memories of dancing with the King on his 60th birthday during an appearance on Good Morning Britain.

She also praised the late monarch for her “omnipresence” as “she could be everywhere all of the time for everyone”.

Sir Rod and Lancaster have been married since 2007.