Businessman reveals he binned official notice, thinking it was a scam
Princess Anne received an unexpected confession during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle, after an MBE recipient revealed he had mistakenly thrown away his official award notice.
Michael Bailey, honoured with an MBE for promoting British business overseas through his specialist printing company, candidly admitted he had initially believed the notification was fraudulent.
“When I got the warrant saying I’d been awarded the MBE, I didn’t believe it,” Bailey told GB News. “I thought, This is a scam — a very clever scam.” Determined not to be caught out, he discarded the document. “I thought, They’re not going to catch me out, so I threw it in the bin,” he added, laughing.
It was only days later that his son recognised the mistake. “I just happened to mention to my son that I’d had this very clever scam,” Bailey recalled. “And he said, Dad, what on earth have you done? That’s real!”
Fortunately, the error was soon corrected, and the story served as a humorous icebreaker when Bailey met the Princess Royal. “She was very charming,” he said of Princess Anne, who is well known for her quick wit and unflappable presence.
Bailey attended the ceremony with his wife of nearly 60 years, Gwen. Although he had originally planned to bring his daughter, she suggested instead that her own daughter should attend — allowing Bailey’s seven-year-old grandson to experience the special occasion.
In a rare gesture, the palace waived the usual three-guest limit to accommodate the young royal fan, a kindness Bailey described as “incredibly thoughtful.”
