"I got loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA," claims Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar. Meanwhile, across the pond, decorated English table tennis player Pam Butcher also possesses these properties. On the subject of loyalty: Butcher, 88, has played with with same paddle for 40 years. A standout tennis player in her youth, Butcher picked up table tennis in her twenties. She played on a team at her tennis club until it was time to start a family. When she was 35, she picked up the game again while working at a college. Butcher and her trusty racket have since gone on to win 13 gold medals in international veterans' games, including the Women's Over 60 division at 1995 Veterans' European Championships. As a subject of royalty: Butcher was recognized as a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE), receiving the award personally from Prince Charles. "He was very charming. He said to me, 'Are you still playing?' and I said yes and he said, 'Fantastic, but I don't think I will take you on,'" recalls Butcher. While Butcher was unable to lure the wary prince to the table, she has inspired countless others to pick up a paddle over the decades. "All the time I have been playing, I have been trying to encourage others to play the sport," says Butcher. "I have always enjoyed hitting a ball about. If you do a good shot, you just feel good." Now, Butcher stands to add yet another award to her copious collection. The Meopham denizen has been shortlisted for the Amplifon Awards for Brave Britons in the Active Agers category. According to Amplifon's website: "This award will recognise an individual aged 60 or over whose attitude and approach to ageing is an inspiration to us all. They could be someone who has achieved significant success in the fields of sport, the arts, business, education or science and technology, or anyone who has accomplished a remarkable feat later in life." Winners will receive a £1000 vacation, courtesy of hearing aid giant Amplifon. "I don't know how long I can keep playing," admits Butcher, the grande dame of table tennis. "It's been a great life." Loyalty leads to royalty. For Pam Butcher, it's just inside her DNA.

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