CHEERING crowds welcomed the Queen when she arrived in Hitchin town centre this morning.
Many hundreds of people were in and around Market Place to greet her.
A band played and flags were waved frantically as she stepped down from a limousine after arriving in the town by train.
Local dignitaries, a band and schoolchildren had met her when she arrived at the town railway station.
The Queen wore a lilac double wool crepe shift coat and a lilac, green and yellow floral print dress designed by Stewart Parvin. Her matching hat was designed by Rachel Trevor-Morgan.
Her Majesty was welcomed by her cousin, Sir Simon Bowes-Lyon, and his wife, Caroline, who live at St Paul’s Waldenbury.
She was introduced to a couple of shopkeepers, was given flowers by children, received some lavender grown locally and presented a Queen’s Award given to recognise the work of volunteers at the Hitchin British Schools Museum.
A band, jugglers, balloon modellers and a unicyclist are entertaining the very large crowd waiting to see the Queen when she goes to Lister Hospital this morning to open the new maternity ward.
Pupils from about 10 schools are lining the road leading into the hospital grounds from North Road.
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