The Queen appeared to be in high spirits as she carried out her first engagement of the year. Royal watchers had expected the Duke of Edinburgh to join, but aides said he had not been planning to attend the Norwich day out.
A royal source told HELLO!: "It was an oversight, only the Queen was due to attend the engagement today."
HELLO! understands the Duke, 95, had been out and about back at Sandringham and had a private commitment to attend to there.
© Photo: Getty ImagesA red carpet was rolled out for the Queen's first engagement of the year
Her Majesty looked resplendent in a pink coat and hat and beamed from ear-to-ear as she was given a grand welcome at The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. A red carpet had been rolled out for the 90-year-old monarch, who was viewing a special Fiji exhibition.
Fiji: Art & Life in the Pacific, a collection of over 280 objects, is the largest exhibition of Fijian works ever assembled in the UK. The Queen was given a tour of the new exhibition and shown some of the artefacts by Karen Jacobs, one of the exhibition curators.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe monarch, 90, was visiting an exhibition on Fiji in Norwich
A Fijian choir performed a welcome song beside the boat that took part in the Queen's 90th birthday celebration pageant last year. Before leaving, Her Majesty unveiled a commemorative plaque and signed the visitor book.
The royal has close ties with the South Pacific country. The last time she visited was in 1982 during a tour of Australia and the South Pacific.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Queen and Prince Philip pictured in Fiji in 1977
The Queen and Prince Philip also visited Fiji in 1977 for the Queen's Silver Jubilee Tour, arriving on board the Royal Yacht Britannia, and again in 1953.
In 1974, the couple's firstborn, Prince Charles, visited Fiji on behalf of his mother to celebrate the country's centenary.
