JUST when you thought that tea at an exclusive Mayfair Hotel with your own queen couldn't possibly get any better, you found yourself sitting on the carpet with her at a London hotel apartment, surrounded by exquisite pieces of woven textiles.
The evening got even more exciting when Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah passionately explained the laborious and painstaking origins of the Royal Pahang weave, which evidently is her pride and joy.
Her Majesty's passion for the Royal Pahang weave is legendary and has been well documented, but to personally observe this dedication to the craft was indeed something else.
She imparted her well-researched knowledge of the craft in a well-informed voice and with composed expressions, pointing to the colek, sepit udang and chevrons on each piece she carefully unfolded, much to the awe of the uninitiated audience around her.
The Raja Permaisuri, who is in London with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah for a special visit, brought two suitcases full of these beautifully woven pieces, each undoubtedly a masterpiece, to promote them on the international stage.
"I have shown these pieces to a few people that I have met and to designers who would like to see them," said Tunku Azizah, who spent a week visiting craft exhibitions during the London Craft Week (LCW) recently.
She brought the pieces made by inmates of Penor and Bentong prisons in Pahang to The Prince's Foundation, and also showed them to the founder of LCW, Guy Salter.
It was understood that a renowned Italian fabric and clothing company had also shown interest.
The LCW is where more than 200 established and emerging makers, designers and brand names from around the world converge annually. It is there that Her Majesty would like to showcase the beauty of the Royal Pahang weave to the world.
She plans to not only bring the weave, but also the prison officials and weavers to the event.
"So I hope next year, with the Yayasan Tenun Pahang DiRaja, we will bring what the prisoners have done.
"These are men who have never woven in their life. Now they are the finest weavers in the country, producing the most beautiful tenun (hand-woven fabric)," she said.
Another possible venue to showcase the Royal Pahang weave is the soon-to-be- completed Malaysia Square at the iconic Battersea Power Station development, which was visited by the royal couple.
The incoming chairman, Datuk Jagan Sabapathy, upon learning that the queen was searching for venues to showcase the Royal Pahang weave, made the offer to Her Majesty.
Tunku Azizah's excitement at the prospect of displaying the beautiful and unique pieces was understandable. There are only 15 weavers left, so it is easy to see her wanting to protect the dying art and keep it alive.
"For me, it is about pushing the weavers (prisoners) to another level, to be recognised for their work," she said, adding that she hoped that the prisoners would continue the legacy when they returned to society.
She is also keen for weavers to visit the United Kingdom, not just to demonstrate their skills but also to look and learn from other craftsmen, as she herself has done during her visits to other countries.
Her thirst for knowledge in the world of crafts has not waned since her late father recruited teachers to tutor her and her siblings in sewing and other crafts.
Her Majesty's quest for knowledge and her drive to preserve and promote a heritage precious to Malaysia will certainly see it being revived not only at home but also around the world.
