Penny Lancaster spotted wearing police uniform at RAF Northolt as Queen’s coffin is due to arrive

Penny Lancaster has been spotted in her police uniform at RAF Northolt, where the Queen’s coffin will arrive this evening after leaving Edinburgh earlier today.

The sighting follows news that she will work as a special constable at the Queen’s funeral next week.

The 51-year-old, who is married to Rod Stewart, started working as a special constable with the City of London Police last year after completing training.

She applied for the role after taking part in reality TV programme Famous and Fighting Crime where she joined officers on the beat.

The 51-year-old, who is married to Rod Stewart, was seen engaging with members of the public outside RAF Northolt in West London

Since then, she has undertaken many hours in the role, and earlier this year revealed she had made an arrest after pulling over a drug driving suspect.

But now she is set to become a part of an historic event, working as a Special Constable during the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, who died peacefully at Balmoral last week, aged 96. 

Earlier today, Her Majesty’s coffin left St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, where the monarch was lying in state, to travel to London.

The casket is due to arrive at RAF Northolt in West London this evening, before travelling on to Buckingham Palace.

Penny was pictured alongside colleagues, engaging with members of the public, and marshalling crowds ahead of the casket’s arrival.

The former model, who appeared to be make-up and fresh faced underneath her uniform hat, was seen smiling while working on shift. 

Penny (pictured earlier today in West London) started working as a special constable with the City of London Police last year after completing training

Special constable: the 51-year-old wife of Rod Stewart was seen engaging with members of the public as she fulfilled her role today

At one point during her shift, Penny (pictured) was seen talking with an unidentified driver outside the RAF base

While filming Famous and Fighting Crime, the reality show that inspired Penny to apply for the force, she was at one point confronted by a drug dealer who threatened to stab her.   

The mother-of-two, who married Sir Rod in 2007, said the experience inspired her to become a police officer.

Speaking about her role on BBC One’s Crimewatch Live earlier this year, she said: ‘It’s roughly about 200 hours a year which equates for myself to one duty a week in the City of London Square Mile including bridges there.

Smiling: Penny (pictured earlier today in West London) appeared to be happy while on duty performing her role as a special constable 

Crowds appear to have gathered around the RAF base, ahead of the Queen’s casket arriving at there this evening

Among her duties today, Penny was snapped engaging with the public, as well as marshalling the growing crowds

‘It’s predominantly foot patrol but I also get the opportunity to try other areas of policing out like working in vehicles, working with the sniffer dogs and operations like the London Marathon, the Lord Mayor’s Show and coming up the Jubilee.

‘I think being a mum and having the patience and the empathy to deal with teenagers in particular helps.

‘A lot of the time you think policing and you think crime but you’re dealing with victims.’ 

Penny Lancaster, pictured here on patrol with the City of London Police in August 2021, revealed earlier this year that she’d made her first arrest

Penny Lancaster, pictured with her husband Rod Stewart outside Annabels in Mayfair on March 5, said she does approximately one day a week to complete her 200-hour-a-year commitment

Penny said Sir Rod, 77, is supportive of her although he does worry about the dangers involved. 

She added: ‘He’s always supportive in whatever I like to venture into and with this in particular he realised the amount of enthusiasm and joy and reward I got from it.

‘Of course, he worries about the natural risks involved but with the support I’ve got around me, and letting him know when I’m back at the station and safe to head home, he’s able to go back to sleep.’