Queen’s surprise visit to open Elizabeth rail line
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.
The Queen 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 earl returned to the concourse ahead of a return journey on the railway from Paddington to Tottenham Court Road.
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. Her Majesty was aware of the engagement and the organisers were informed of the possibility she may attend.”
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 by Rachel Trevor-Morgan. She was wearing her Singapore brooch.
The Queen rallied to make a trip to the Windsor Horse Show on Friday and on Sunday was the guest of honour at the equestrian extravaganza A
Gallop Through History near Windsor, the first major event of the Jubilee festivities.
It is the Queen’s first one outside of the Windsor area since she attended the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service in Westminster Abbey seven weeks ago.