Local Woman Recalls Meeting with Prince Philip

Local Woman Recalls the meeting with Prince Philip that Initiated a 20-year Project

It was in 1983 when a young Roberta Klein (then Roberta Nelson Walker), the founder and president of the local nonprofit Read With Me, along with Samuel Wanamaker and other notable guests like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Cary Grant were attending a Beverly Hills reception in efforts to raise American monies and awareness to rebuild the London Shakespeare Globe Theatre. 

Wanamaker was an American actor and director credited as the person most responsible for saving the Rose Theatre, which lead to the modern recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

It was at this reception that Klein and her husband at the time, Dan Walker, met Prince Philip, who was the Royal Patron of the project and very supportive of the effort.  Klein and Walker were signed on by Wanamaker as founding members and worked on the project that lasted more than 20 years.

She was to meet Prince Philip three more times, twice at Buckingham Palace, and again at the opening of the Globe in 1997 on the south bank of the Thames River.  It was here where she attended a private reception for only 50 guests and met Queen Elizabeth.

Read With Me assists local children from low income, limited English speaking environments develop to their fullest potential by learning to read, comprehend and speak English, while understanding that people care about them as individuals.

For more information:  www.readwithmevolunteers.com  or send an email to readwithmesd@gmail.com