The Queen has dined with world leaders and heads of state in some of the grandest palaces in the world, including her own official residences. But on Tuesday she proved she's just like any other Brit in times of trouble, praising the same humble comfort foods we all love.
The Queen hosted a gathering at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night to celebrate the contribution faith and belief-based groups make to British life. She welcomed 160 guests personally, all of them receiving a warm greeting and a handshake from the 93-year-old monarch, who celebrated her birthday earlier this month.
© Photo: PAThe Queen greeted each of her 160 guests personally
The guests hailed from Christian, Muslim, and Jewish groups, among others, and from across the country. They included Nighat Khan from New Vision 4 Women in London, which provides a place for women from a range of backgrounds to gather, break bread together, and talk about their lives. "She wanted to know all about our projects and the challenges the women we work with face," Mrs Khan told reporters.
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Also in attendance was Anna Dyson from Leeds who started a café called ToastLoveCoffee, prompting the Queen to comment: "a bit of tea and toast can go a long way," Mrs Khan reported. The idea of the reception was not only to thank the different community leaders, but to also give them a chance to meet each other, with the Queen commenting, "I can hear all the talking, I hope it's going well!" at one point.
© Photo: PAThe Queen met community leaders including Valentine Nkoyo, Anna Dyson, Rachael Cox, and Nighat Khan
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The Queen looked as stylish as ever, wearing a simple but striking white floral dress with matching white gloves and pearls and a black patent handbag and heels. Despite her recent birthday, she shows few signs of slowing down. She attended Royal Ascot with several members of her family last week, always one of the highlights of her calendar, and presented the winning trophy (and calmly dealt with a minor fashion mishap) at the Royal Windsor Cup final on Sunday.
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