THE Queen officially opened the new maternity unit at Lister Hospital in Stevenage this morning (Thursday).

Arriving at 11.15am to a crowd of flag-waving people, from schoolchildren to pensioners, the Queen was greeted by dignitaries including Stevenage MP Stephen McPartland and Stevenage Borough Council leader Sharon Taylor.

She took a tour of the The Diamond Jubilee Maternity Unit, meeting staff and new parents and babies, before unveiling a plaque to officially open the new unit.

The Queen was presented by a hospital representative with a photograph of the Queen Mother when she was the Duchess of York, opening the York ward at the former Hitchin Maternity Hospital in 1929.

Kristen and Jamie Fisher introduced their seven-week-old twins, Mylie and Josie, to the Queen. Kristen said: “She asked how we were coping and said it must be very hard work and that they were beautiful.”

She added: “She commented on the buggy and said it looked like a good contraption.”

Emily Murray and her 16-week-old baby, Bethany, were decked out in red, white and blue to meet the Queen. Emily said: “She asked where we lived and how old Bethany was and how our experienced was on the unit - she seemed quite interested in that.”

She added: “She’s absolutely beautiful. She just looked so elegant in her outfit.”