It was a grand day for the Derby - until the lady in green saw red.
For while the Queen bit her nails in anticipation and the bookies breathed a sigh of relief all did not go well for Joan Collins.
The actress missed her helicopter and reached the Surrey racecourse late, after her escort, actor George Hamilton, flew off without her. When Mr Hamilton sauntered up to her smiling, she vented her wrath in true Dynasty-style, storming at him for leaving her in the lurch.
All did not go according to plan for housewives' favourite Lester Piggott either, who trailed in a distant ninth while Dr Devious won the race.
But Miss Collins problems were of a different nature.
While 250,000 racegoers basked in the sunshine on Epsom Downs the 57-year-old actress arrived 15 minutes after the Queen.
Mr Hamilton had left without her in a helicopter they were supposed to be sharing.
Miss Collins, looking flustered, arrived at the VIP enclosure crowded with celebrities including Lord White and girlfriend Victoria Tucker, racehorse owner, Robert Sangster and his wife Susan, writer Jilly Cooper and husband Leo, singer Chris de Burgh, and TV presenter Judith Chalmers.
But after a few minutes of smooth charm from Mr Hamilton, Miss Collins was smiling again.
She said: "I was supposed to be at the heliport at 11:20am. There were two helicopters and I did not get on the first, I do not know anything about being late for the Queen."
However, a spokesman for Derby sponsors Every Ready said Miss Collins had arrived late for the helicopter she had been scheduled to catch with Mr Hamilton at 11:15am from Battersea Heliport, South London, and had caught another one.
While Miss Collins was having problems, the Queen was officially opening the new £8.5
million Queen's Stand.
Copyright: Daily Mail, 1992
