Merci Maman Founder Béatrice Meets the Queen

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Fulham mum visits Buckingham Palace to receive Queen's Award for Enterprise

Béatrice de Montille, founder of Fulham based jewellery business Merci Maman has visited Fulham Palace to receive the Queen’s Award for Enterprise - and to chat to the Queen herself.

Mum of four Béatrice went to the palace along with co-founder and husband Arnaud. During the event, on 11 July, the couple spent two hours at a reception along with other winners from the 170 companies recognised in this year's awards and were able to explore the palace's Picture Gallery, Music Room and the Blue and White Drawing Rooms.

"Meeting Her Majesty The Queen comes as an amazing 10th year anniversary gift, a milestone that the business will be celebrating in October this year," says French-born Béatrice, who set up the personalised jewellery company from her kitchen table in Heathmans Road.

"We were so touched by how much time the Queen spent with us and her interest in our story. It was such a memorable evening."

Merci Maman –  or Thank you, Mum – employs 22 people in London, and another three in Paris.

The business stood out in The Queen’s Award for Enterprise because of its growth in overseas earnings from zero to almost 35% in the space of three years.

Merci Maman’s delicate silver, gold and rose gold designs have also been worn on a host of famous faces.

The Duchess of Cambridge has a Merci Maman necklace engraved with her son Prince George’s name – which was given to her by her sister Pippa Middleton – and the hand-engraved jewellery has also been worn by Autumn Phillips, Carla Bruni Sarkozy, Isabella Branson and Katie Piper.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are given to British-based businesses and organisations that
excel at international trade, innovation and sustainable development. They are the highest official UK awards for British businesses and have been presented by the Queen since 1965.

Previous winners include Brompton Bicycles, Holland and Barret health food stores and Séraphine designer maternity wear.

"The award is a royal seal of approval for our entire team, a reward that encourages us and makes us want to grow further," says Béatrice.

July 28, 2017