The Queen today visited Hull to mark the 2017 UK ‘City of Culture’. Hull was chosen to be this year’s City of Culture back in 2013, and during the year the city has hosted a series of cultural events to celebrate this title.
Her Majesty was travelling solo today, marking her first visit to Hull in 8 years.
The Monarch arrived in Hull on the royal train at Paragon Station to crowds of well-wishers; she stopped to speak with many of the waiting crowd as she walked down the platform. Among the crowds were volunteers who have been organising events for the City of Culture year.
Upon her arrival, The Queen was greeted by the Lord-Lieutenant of East Riding and then given a posy by 11-year-old Islay Cunliffe-Lister. Her Majesty also unveiled a plaque at the train station to mark her visit to Hull.
Thank you for all the warm welcome and the lovely flowers at Hull train station.? #royalvisithull pic.twitter.com/QMFkhkmBSp
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) 16 November 2017
Her Majesty’s first stop was at the Siemens Gamesa wind turbine factory on Alexandra Dock. The Queen was taken on a tour, where she viewed the blade production line, which primarily produces blades to be used for offshore turbines. The factory produced a 75m long wind turbine blade which was used in an art installation in the city as part of the City of Culture events.
Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images
The Queen chats with apprentices and employees as she tours the Siemens Gamesa factory (C/ @RoyalFamily)
During her visit to the factory, Her Majesty met workers and apprentices who work there, as well as watching a demonstration of how blades are produced. The Royal was also shown the ‘Greenpeace car’, which uses renewable energy as fuel.
The 91-year-old Sovereign spoke with those who are employed on the ‘Pathway Plus’ programme, which is for employees with special educational needs. Once again, The Queen unveiled a plaque to mark her visit and was presented with a posy before departing.
The next stop was the University of Hull, where Elizabeth II formally opened the Allam Medical Building. The building is located in the university’s health campus, which cost £28 million to build. The new facility is designed to help with medical training, and includes a simulation operating theatre, a normal hospital ward and also an intensive care ward.
Her Majesty visited the University of Hull to formally open the Allam Medical Building (C/ @RoyalFamily)
During her tour, Her Majesty watched on as students practiced a caesarean section on a mannequin, as well as observing other student nurses who were training on robotic mannequins in the simulated ward.
The Queen also took time to speak to the students, cracking jokes along the way – she quipped to one student, who was drinking a glass of water to help him take fake drugs, “I hope it’s just water”.
The Queen watches a training session on robotic mannequins in the Allam Medical Building’s simulated medical ward (C/ @RoyalFamily)
The new medical facility aims to ensure students are properly trained before they enter clinical practice; Her Majesty spoke to some of the representatives and tutors from the University during her visit.
Before leaving Hull by plane, the Monarch unveiled her third plaque of the day, as well as signing the visitors’ book and receiving another posy.
All flowers received during royal visits are then donated to hospitals, care homes and other such centres, where flowers would cheer up the environment.
1 comment
What a Lady~