Blooming lovely! Queen is elegant in a floral blue dress as she holds her trusty walking stick to officially open the new building at Thames Hospice on a surprise engagement with Princess Anne
- Queen appeared in great spirits as she joined Princess Anne to officially open the new Thames Hospice site
- Her Majesty, 96, appeared effortlessly elegant when appearing alongside her daughter, The Princess Royal
- The new larger state-of-the-art facility means that Thames Hospice can care for twice as many patients
The Queen appeared in great spirits today as she made a surprise visit to a hospice with the Princess Royal to open its new centre.
Her Majesty, 96, travelled the short distance from her Windsor Castle home to Maidenhead to tour the Thames Hospice to meet staff, volunteers and a patient.
The monarch, who moved with the aid of her now familiar walking stick, looked effortlessly elegant in a blue floral dress when appearing alongside her daughter, The Princess Royal, 71, in the Berkshire area this morning.
For more than 30 years the hospice has been providing palliative and end-of-life care and support to people across East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire – and the new £22 million larger state-of-the-art facility means the centre can care for twice as many patients.
The Queen appeared in great spirits today as she made a surprise visit to a hospice with the Princess Royal to open its new centre
The monarch, who moved with the aid of her now familiar walking stick, looked effortlessly elegant in a blue floral dress when appearing alongside her daughter, The Princess Royal, 71, in the Berkshire area this morning
Her Majesty, 96, travelled the short distance from her Windsor Castle home to Maidenhead to tour the Thames Hospice to meet staff, volunteers and a patient
Her Majesty stands with Jonathan Jones, Chair of Trustees, after unveiling a plaque during a visit to officially open the new building at Thames Hospice
The 96-year-old Queen signs the visitor’s book during her appearance this morning, alongside her daughter Princess Anne, 71
Its services are free for those who need care, and more than 50 per cent of the £13 million annual running costs come from charitable support.
It took three years of fundraising to hit the £6 million target needed to complete the £22 million build, which first opened its doors in 2020.
On Tuesday, the Queen joked with NHS leaders and healthcare workers as she hosted a small audience at Windsor Castle to honour Britain’s health service with the George Cross.
The 96-year-old was joined by Prince Charles as she handed out the medal, second only to the Victoria Cross, and heaped praise on NHS leaders from four countries over the UK’s handling of the vaccine roll-out during the pandemic.
Looking relaxed, the head of state wore a pretty floral dress for the ceremony, as the royals were joined by frontline workers from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Also present was May Parsons, the nurse who delivered the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine outside of clinical trials to Maggie Keenan on December 8 2020.
For more than 30 years the hospice has been providing palliative and end-of-life care and support to people across East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire
The Queen, alongside Princess Anne, right, unveils a plaque during a visit to officially open the new building at Thames Hospice, Maidenhead
On Tuesday, the Queen (pictured left) celebrated the achievements of the NHS across the decades by awarding the institution the George Cross during a ceremony she hosted at Windsor
Princess Anne appeared alongside the Queen during this morning’s appearance, wearing a stylish check ensemble
The Queen pictured after unveiling the plaque. The new £22 million larger state-of-the-art facility means the centre can care for twice as many patients
The Queen was on fine form and when told about the nurse’s historic first, she made her guests laugh with the quip: ‘You’re still alive?’
When the nurse told the Queen: ‘We’re terribly, terribly proud of the vaccination roll-out, it was so successful,’ she replied: ‘Yes it was amazing.’
And when NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard highlighted the tens of millions who have been jabbed, the monarch said ‘tremendous’.
When the Queen asked: ‘And what are you going to do with it?’ with regards to the medal, she was told by Pritchard it would go on a tour of the NHS before being found a permanent home.
Each health executive from the four nations and their frontline colleague came up in turn to receive a George Cross which had been placed on a cushion carried by the Queen’s Equerry Lieutenant Colonel Tom White.
The Queen touched the cushion in a gesture to symbolise its presentation.
The centre’s services are free for those who need care, and more than 50 per cent of the £13 million annual running costs come from charitable support. Pictured, the Queen during today’s visit
The smiling monarch walks alongside Jonathan Jones, Chair of Trustees, with her beaming daughter Princess Anne walking behind the pair
The monarch moved with the aid of her now familiar walking stick during the visit today after travelling from her home of Windsor Castle to Thames Hospice
The Queen looked sophisticated in a blue floral frock, teamed with a black handbag and a shimmering sapphire brooch
All in the details: The monarch completed her ensemble with a pair of peal earrings and her statement matching necklace
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Vernon, Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office with responsibility for organising ceremonial events, read out the George Cross citation at the start of the ceremony.
He said: ‘It is with great pleasure, on behalf of a grateful Nation, that the George Cross is awarded to the National Health Services of the United Kingdom.
‘This award recognises all NHS staff, past and present, across all disciplines and all four Nations. Over more than seven decades, and especially in recent times, you have supported the people of our country with courage, compassion and dedication, demonstrating the highest standards of public service.
‘You have our enduring thanks and heartfelt appreciation.’
It’s the Queen’s first public engagement since she enjoyed a brief stay at Sandringham.
The Queen was spotted travelling back to Windsor last week – after she spent several days at her husband the late Duke of Edinburgh’s former home.
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