SHE has welcomed royals, attended countless engagements and must have shaken more hands than anyone else in Hampshire.

But after 20 years of tireless service, Hampshire’s Lord-Lieutenant Dame Mary Fagan is set to retire from her role on her 75th birthday next September.

For two decades, Dame Mary, who lives in Deane, has so often been the first person to greet high-profile dignitaries visiting the county.

Dame Mary’s duties include organising Royal visits to Hampshire and she often attends engagements with her husband, Captain Christopher Fagan.

The Queen, Prince Charles and Princess Anne are among the royals she has given a warm welcome to over the years.

As The Queen’s representative in Hampshire since 1994, and as patron or president to more than 60 organisations, Dame Mary is a familiar sight at engagements across the county.

As High Sheriff of Hampshire, Rupert Younger is a man well placed to comment on performing duties in the county.

He said: “I have worked closely with her and am in awe of her energy, enthusiasm, commitment to the county, and her incredible ability to get things done.”

Dame Mary’s successor has not been chosen yet, but the Government’s Cabinet Office will begin consulting people in Hampshire to find a replacement.

The post of Lord-Lieutenant was created by Henry VIII in the 1540s. They were to be his officers in their respective counties, raising local militia units on behalf of The King.