Albanian who smuggled himself into Britain reveals how he served lunch to Queen trends now
An Albanian who entered Britain hidden inside the back of a truck has revealed how he served lunch to the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
Ismet Shehu, 32, travelled across Europe before clambering under a lorry which was bound for the UK and was granted permission to stay in the country after handing himself over to Home Office officials.
He went on to take a university course in hospitality and catering and was among a group of five students who waited on the late Queen and her husband during the 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Ismet Shehu, 32, (pictured) travelled across Europe before clambering under a lorry which was bound for the UK. He went on to take a university course in catering and was among a group of five students who waited on the late Queen and her husband during the 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebrations
Ismet, who has now returned to Albania, and set up a chain of restaurants in the capital Tirana, told MailOnline: 'Can you imagine that? A poor boy from the countryside serving lunch to the Queen of England?' Pictured: The late Queen and Prince Philip attending the lunch served by Ismet and his West London University classmates
Ismet, who has now returned to Albania, and set up a chain of restaurants in the capital Tirana, told MailOnline: 'Can you imagine that? A poor boy from the countryside serving lunch to the Queen of England?
'It was such an honour for me to do that and all just a couple of years after getting into the country hiding in the back of a lorry. It was the most frightening experience of my life.'
Ismet, was just 17, when he left Albania and made his way through Italy to the French city of Lille where he waited with dozens of other migrants looking for a way into Britain.
His chance eventually came when a lorry with UK plates was pointed out to him at a truck stop and he crawled underneath and hid in a tiny gap by the wheels, curling himself into a tiny ball.
Ismet (pictured), was just 17, when he left Albania and made his way through Italy to the French city of Lille where he waited with dozens of other migrants looking for a way into Britain
A thank you letter from Buckingham Palace sent to the students who served lunch to the Queen and Prince Philip
Ismet said: 'All I knew was it had a British registration number so I hid under it and when it started I just hold for my life, knowing that if I let go and fell onto the motorway I would be dead.
'Once on the ferry I jumped out and with a knife I cut open the trailer and I hid inside and I didn't get out until more than four hours later when I was in the UK.
'I phoned my cousin and he asked me where I was but I had no idea so he told me to get the postcode of where I was, I went into a shop and gave the phone to the man and he gave the postcode to my cousin.
'It was only when he came to pick me up later that I knew I was somewhere near Manchester but my cousin was in London. I was worried that someone would say something or call the police but no one did and I was safe.'
Ismet found work on construction sites earning £7 an hour before finding a job as a kitchen porter and glass collector in various pubs and restaurants across west London before eventually handing himself over to the Home Office
Fifteen years ago slipping into the country via a truck was the preferred entry point for many illegal migrants but it came at a cost with people traffickers asking for as much as £20,000 to get into the back of a truck.
Ismet told MailOnline:' I just didn't have that sort of money but I'd heard from friends and others who had got into Britain that it was possible to get into the country by hiding underneath and then cutting
