Royal Watch News

Queen Elizabeth takes boat ride with Philip

Jun 26, 2012, 12:01 GMT

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip

Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip arrived by passenger steamer to a Diamond Jubilee garden party yesterday (25.06.12).

The 86-year-old monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh were applauded by thousands of guests and onlookers as they turned up at the party in Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, South East England.

The queen and Philip then toured the garden party meeting some of the 4,000 guests drawn from the counties of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire, of whom 1,200 were chosen from an oversubscribed public ballot.

The queen met computer engineer Trevor Bennett, 32, and his new wife, primary school teacher Alison Bennett, 31, from Twyford, Berkshire, who won tickets for the garden party in the ballot.

The couple, who married six weeks ago, said it had been an honour to meet the monarch.

Trevor said: 'It is a wonderful present to meet the queen.'

The last time the royal couple were seen on a boat was during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations at the beginning of the month, when they spent nearly four hours in the rain on the Spirit of Chartwell going down the River Thames in London.

The following day, Philip was taken to hospital after contracting a bladder infection and spent the next five days in care.

However, he was released in time to celebrate his 91st birthday with friends and family.