Hampshire's first lady

And, as the monarch's representative in the county, she's in high demand this Jubilee weekend.

Tomorrow afternoon Mrs Fagan is bound for a service in Winchester Cathedral, due to be attended by Princess Alexandra.

Either side of this engagement Mrs Fagan admits there's going to be a lot of "dashing around".

A dinner with the Archbishop of Canterbury here, a service in London there, then there's tree-planting, street parties and charity work.

Mrs Fagan not only represents the Queen at official functions and in the community but she also organises all royal visits to Hampshire.

It's an unpaid role which she can keep until her 75th birthday.

The 62-year-old is poised, calm, diplomatic, personable and possesses an unflinching loyalty to her monarch.

You suspect she is also shrewd, modest, kind, quietly determined and someone who sticks up for women and women's issues.

Over the past week, the country seems to have been suddenly enveloped by Jubilee fever, with numerous overt examples of public affection for the Queen.

"I have to say I never thought there wouldn't be," says Mrs Fagan.

"Whenever the Queen comes here there are always crowds wherever she goes - that's been my perception.

"I think there's a genuine feeling of loyalty and wanting to say 'thank you - you're great'.

"I'm always amazed by the sheer amount of invitations I get."

Does she mind working flat-out?

"Everybody's busy but they do different things. I do think women are capable of thinking about more than one thing at once.

"If you look at a working wife, she gets her children up and gets them off to school, then goes to work. In the evening she nips down to the Scout group. Women are capable of doing the most amazing things.

"I love meeting people and it's a great privilege to be asked to go to people's events.

"Hampshire is the most beautiful county, there are wonderful amenities. But we do have pockets of deprivation and they do need our help.

"People think it's such a rich county but it's a total mixture. We have rural areas where they need our support and we must see that."

Mrs Fagan is at her most animated when she describes the Meridian Trust Association, an organisation which strives to help young people in Portsmouth.

She possesses a low, gentle voice and it's apparent she genuinely cares about people and feels a deep compassion for human suffering, as shown by her extensive involvement in Hampshire's hospices.

"When people are dying we often don't know how to speak to them or cope. But when you're in a hospice they are very happy places.

"I've never found it difficult to get onto other people's wavelengths. I've such respect for lots of different people."

This talent for serving the community runs in the family.

Both Mrs Fagan's cousins were Lord Lieutenants and her father was a Deputy Lord Lieutenant.

Her upbringing in Nottinghamshire established the discipline necessary for a demanding public role.

In the years immediately after her marriage to husband Captain Christopher Fagan she ran youth clubs in London.

"I was brought up as a child in a world of service. Fundamentally I work for the Queen - and that's a tremendous privilege - but I also try to work within the community as I feel she would want.

"I'm happiest when I'm out talking to people, putting organisations in touch with others."

Mrs Fagan became the country's first female Lord Lieutenant following the sudden death in office of her predecessor Sir James Scott.

Just four months later she had to host Hampshire's D-Day 50th anniversary celebrations, attended by 15 heads of state.

It was a huge undertaking.

"It wasn't on my agenda to be Lord Lieutenant. My feet really didn't touch the ground at first so I didn't have an awful lot of time to worry. I think it was very good for me.

"I don't see why a woman can't be Lord Lieutenant. Besides, she's reporting to another lady. And we now have eight so perhaps there isn't too much of a problem."

Since then Mrs Fagan has had ample opportunity to see our royalty in action.

"I watch people with the Queen and other members of the Royal Family. She has a total knack - she's capable of talking to people and letting people talk to her.

"You find they lose their shyness and they will tell her what they are doing and what their problems are and I think that's a tremendous personal achievement. Prince Charles has it too."

Mrs Fagan has extensive links, both personal and professional, with the military.

Her father and husband were both in the Army - as were her sons, one of whom was killed serving in Northern Ireland.

In her role as Lord Lieutenant she's Honorary Colonel of 457 Royal Artillery Hampshire Yeoman Regiment, Honorary Colonel of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Cadet Force, President of the Reserve Forces and Honorary Captain of the Royal Naval Reserves.

Now she's planning to go on a naval destroyer.

And what better ship to visit than Hampshire's very own HMS Southampton.

"Morale is so high (in the armed forces) and it really upsets me when anyone knocks them," she says, the only moment in the entire interview when Mrs Fagan sounds even remotely cross.

She tells how she respects their loyalty, hard work and devotion to duty.

The exact same characteristics which rule her life too.