The Platinum couple sharing a 70 year anniversary with the Queen

  • Reporter Charlotte Gay went to meet Milly and Fred Cosier on their anniversary

It's not an easy job staying married for 70 years but one St Austell couple have celebrated this impressive milestone in tandem with the Queen's Platinum jubilee celebrations.

90-year old Milly married her 92-year old husband Fred Cosier in 1952 - now 70 years later they are celebrating their Platinum wedding anniversary on the same week as the UK marks the Platinum Jubilee.

To manage seven decades of wedding bliss Milly jokes being prepared to say sorry is key to a successful partnership with Fred.

"We've had a fallouts, like everybody does, but the nicest thing of all is no matter what the fallout is about, he will always say sorry - and quite often it's not his fault!", Milly said.

A street party in 1953 to celebrate the Coronation of the Queen with Milly pictured with two month old son Steven in a pram. Credit: Family handout

The pair first met in 1947 in London before Fred undertook his National Service.

Fred was in the Air Force for two years before leaving in 1949 when the pair "got friendly again" and courted until they were married in 1952.

Milly and Fred have since then lived their married life in tandem with Queen Elizabeth's reign starting with the first street party in celebration of her coronation.

Fred says the street party was "terrific" and he's still proudly got a photo of Milly and their then two-month old son Steven.

After several romantic caravan holidays down to Perranporth during their courtship it was in 1981 when the couple decided to take over the running of the Mandalay Hotel in Mevagissey with their son Steven and daughter-in-law Helen.

Milly says the hotel had "lots of repeat bookings" and people were "coming back all the time."

Milly and Fred say the key to a successful marriage is not to "dwell" on the fallouts. Credit: ITV News

This week the Queen sent the couple a congratulatory card for reaching this milestone in marriage and being together for over 70 years.

It reads: "I send you my warm congratulations on the celebration of your platinum wedding. Anniversary On the 31st of May 2022. May your celebrations be particularly happy and memorable."

Milly says "I love the royal family" but she especially likes the Queen, describing her as an incredibility "dignified" figurehead for the country.

She said: "I just love reading about her. I followed all the way through poor old Diana and everything, you know? And I really like all of them."

Fred and Milly Cosier on their wedding day in 1952 Credit: Family Handout

Now with two children, five grown-up-grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, their daughter Sue Martinez says the family are very proud of them especially as they continue to live independently which is "an amazing achievement in this day and age".

Their secret to a long and happy marriage may be for Fred to always say sorry but Milly says they love each other very much and "Although he can be infuriating at times, let me tell you, he's the best husband."