The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Queen beams in yellow on surprise visit
The Queen has made a surprise appearance to officially open the completed Elizabeth line, named in her honour.
She was given an Oyster card and shown how to use it on a ticket machine.
The 96-year-old monarch, who now rarely carries out public engagements outside of her royal residences, joined her youngest son the Earl of Wessex at Paddington Station for the royal visit yesterday.
Dressed in sunshine yellow, the Queen arrived at 11.32am, stepping carefully from the transparent lift while holding a walking stick.
She smiled warmly as she met Crossrail and Elizabeth line workers and walked slowly as she made her way around the station concourse.
Unveiling a plaque stating that she had “officially opened” the Elizabeth line, the monarch spent 10 minutes in the station before departing in a lift, escorted by her son Edward.
The nation’s longest reigning head of state is just over two weeks away from her Platinum Jubilee celebratory weekend.
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: “In a happy development, Her Majesty The Queen is attending today’s event to mark the completion of the Elizabeth line.”
The Queen’s outfit was a Stewart Parvin double-wool crepe coat with an A-line silk dress in shades of yellow, royal blue and turquoise, and a matching hat.
The Elizabeth line will open to passengers on May 24. The total cost has been estimated at £18.9 billion.
It will stretch from Reading, in Berkshire, and Heathrow Airport, in west London, to Shenfield, in Essex, and Abbey Wood, in south-east London.