Queen presented with garland when meeting soldiers

The Queen met soldiers during a royal visit yesterday (February 24th), when she was presented with a blue and red garland that she wore around her neck.

Her Royal Highness greeted members of the Queen's Gurkha Engineers at Invicta Park Barracks in Maidstone, Kent, speaking to the unit's 5,000th recruit Sapper Bal Budha Magar.

The 19-year-old has been voted best in his intake and spoke with Her Majesty about his experience.

Troops have already completed a visit to Afghanistan and will be returning to the country next year.

Some 1,000 guests attended the ceremony to see the Queen, who dressed in a long turquoise coat and matching hat, wearing the garland presented to her by ten-year-old Dilasha Rai, daughter of Gurkha soldier Lance Corporal Bhimal Rai.

Soldiers in Winchester also enjoyed a royal visit this week, when Princess Anne met troops in their passing out parade at Sir John Moore Barracks, the Hampshire Chronicle reported.

Posted by Trevor Smith