Every year on Tynwald Day, the Sword Bearer carries the ancient Sword of State in the procession from the Royal Chapel to Tynwald Hill, preceding the Sovereign or the Lieutenant Governor.

For the past 25 years, Bernadette Williams has become a familiar sight to many, as the official sword-bearer for the Tynwald Hill Ceremony and the swearing in of new Lieutenant Governors.

This year, she marked her final Tynwald Day by leading Princess Anne up the Hill to oversee the proceedings. Mrs Williams took up the role in 1997, and is the first woman to hold the title.

Before becoming sword-bearer, Mrs Williams began her career by following in her father Daniel Brennan’s footsteps as a standard-bearer for the Royal British Legion. She joined the Women’s Section in 1983 and gained numerous accolades along the way - including five consecutive wins at the national level.

After winning competitions at the local, regional and national levels, she acted as the national standard-bearer for a time, before becoming the national parade marshal for three years.

In these roles, she had the honour of participating in various Royal events, from leading a parade down the Mall in London for the Queen’s Jubilee, to being a member of the only civilian contingent to take part in the lying in state for the Queen Mother at the Cenotaph - alongside daughter Claire McCabe, who has also followed in her parent’s footsteps as a standard-bearer for the British Legion.

When asked about taking on the role as sword-bearer, Mrs Williams said: ’The sword is a different thing. It has its own dignity, and the whole position, it’s such a huge honour. As an absolute dyed-in-the-wool Manx-woman it’s just- I can’t tell you, I can’t put into wordsâ?¦

’To stand at the top of the Hill and to listen to the proceedings and to be part of the proceedings, it’s something that... Well, I suppose you aspire to, but you don’t really think it’s ever going to happen. But it’s been wonderful.’

The upside of last year’s coronavirus lockdown for Mrs Williams was the chance to reflect on her experiences in the British Legion, alongside a Tynwald Day ceremony she described as more ’personal and intimate’.

It was only upon sorting through her photographs that she realised just how many members of the Royal family she has interacted with over the years, from Her Majesty The Queen and Prince Philip, to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Princess Anne.

She said: ’I put a photograph in of myself leading the Sovereign and Prince Philip, and then on the next page I had Prince Charles. And I thought "Wow, I’ve led our current Sovereign and our future King", and that’s just... amazing. I’m very proud.’

Summarising her time spent in her various roles, Mrs Williams said: ’Those are memories you just don’t ever forget. I’m hugely honoured that it was in my time, and through sheer luck, that I joined the Women’s Section of the Legion when I did, and went on to carry the standard. ’

She also credited her competitive nature for her success, saying: ’You don’t want to do things by half. You go in [to the standard-bearing competitions] to win, and you go to be the best you can be.

’I was representing the Isle of Man, so I was absolutely chuffed [when I won], it was a big deal!’