Queen arrives on the set of Coronation Street on a visit to Media City UK in Manchester

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Two much-loved and long-running British institutions united today as the Queen visited the set of Coronation Street – with the royal reuniting with actor Bill Roache, whom she first met during a visit to the cobbles almost 40 years ago.

Weatherfield has seen a host of famous faces but for only the second time the head of state walked down the street, home to the ITV soap, celebrating its 60th year on our screens.

On a 40 minute tour of the set and studios at Media City UK in Manchester, Her Majesty, 95, wearing a teal Angela Kelly outfit with matching hat, met a host of cast and crew of the show, walking beside the cobbled street before popping into the studio where the interior of the Rovers Return is filmed. 

The Queen met Bill Roache, who plays Ken Barlow,  Barbara Knox, (Rita) and Helen Worth, (Gail), on her visit today, who were all there during her visit to the set on 5 May 1982.

The monarch also met with Sue Nichols, (Audrey), who joined the soap as a full-time character in 1985. 

During the visit, the royal, who described the ‘remarkable’ long-running show as ‘part of the fabric’ of society, was told a character was a trouble-maker, before she replied: ‘The programme doesn’t do a lot of trouble does it? I suppose, life’s a trouble isn’t it?’   

The Queen was greeted on set by ITV chairman Sir Peter Bazelgette and managing director of continuing drama John Whiston, who explained to her that the set’s cobbles had been moved from their former set at Granada Studios, she had visited in 1982, to the new set in Trafford.

‘They’re the same cobbles?’ she asked, incredulously. ‘You moved it? Oh right.’      

Her Majesty said it was ‘rather remarkable’ that it had been running for 60 years. 

Bill told the Queen he had first seen her when she visited Jamaica in 1963, when he was serving as an officer with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. 

He added: ‘Thank you so much for coming today.’

Actress Barbara Knox, told the Queen when she first arrived: ‘Good morning, your majesty, you have brought the sunshine. You know you are like a ray of sunshine.

‘And you’ve given us all such a lift (with) you coming, thank you very very much indeed. We all absolutely adore you, the world adores you.’

She added that she thought the Queen was meant to be Balmoral, on holiday, but the monarch laughed and said: ‘Not yet. ‘It’s very nice to come’.

Knox, who was one of three cast members honoured by the Queen in 2010, thanked the monarch effusively for the ‘lovely’ time she had had that day, telling her: ‘You never forget things like that.’ 

The Queen, who asked how they had managed to keep filming during the pandemic, replied ‘It’s really marvellous you’ve been able to carry on,’ and Bill replied to laughter: ‘Well Ma’am you’re the one who’s carried on.’  

The Queen was presented with a series of gifts, including an original ‘Corrie Cobble’ from the set officially opened the monarch, alongside the late Duke of Edinburgh, in 1982.

She was also given an early edition bottle of 60th Anniversary ‘Weatherfield Spirit’ Gin with a pair of Meehart Manchester Skyline gin glasses and a bag of Corrie mementos including a signed anniversary book and some Newton & RIdley beer mats. 

Meanwhile she asked the actors which houses they lived in and how long they had worked on the ITV soap, spending 40 minutes chatting to the cast and crew and even popping into the Rovers Return.

The show’s famous theme tune was played as the sovereign walked down the red carpet as the actors cheered and waved Union flags from the sidelines.    

Iain MacLeod, a producer, ushered the Queen along to meet a group of crew members who explained how they filmed six episodes a week.

‘There’s quite a lot of work to do,’ she said. ‘And you do it every day!’

She was told that one of the crew members used a two-metre stick to ensure everyone stuck to social distancing guidelines.

‘So that’s how you do it,’ she laughed. ‘It’s probably the simplest way to do it. It’s quite difficult to act two metres apart isn’t it?’

Told it often was, as the characters were often embracing each other, she added: ‘Of course it is.’

The Queen was then introduced to the actors who play the Bailey family, Trevor Michael Georges, Vinta Morgan and Ryan Russell, and Kate Spencer, who plays Grace Vickers.

‘Where do you live?’ the Queen asked them. ‘Oh I see, you live here.’

Georges told her it was the house with the double glazing. 

‘You’re more modern than most,’ the Queen smiled.

She asked: ‘I gather the street is now wider than it was?’ and was told that the cobbles had been transferred from the former set. 

Spencer warned her not to walk on the cobbles, telling her they were particularly tricky in heels, to which the Queen replied: ‘I’ve been told. I’d probably better not.’  

Outside, she met Billy Mayhew, who plays the Street’s vicar, who told her the role had involved a lot of research. 

Introduced to Charlotte Jordan, who plays Daisy Midgeley, the monarch was told the character was a trouble maker. 

As the Queen left to delighted cheers, the cast was buoyant, praising the Queen for her time and energy.

Lipman said: ‘She was quite unbelievably calm with whoever you put in front of her.

‘She just seemed extremely at ease, very comfortable to meet anyone and everyone.

‘For us to have her here, today after England won… the sun shone, it was great. She appeared to have all the time in the world. She spent as much time talking to the crew as the stars.’

Jane Danson, who plays Leanne Battersby, said: ‘She was so lovely, so giving, very interested in everything we had to say. 

‘She was very smiley, everything we could have imagined she would be. She was very generous with her time.’

Roache described the royal visit as an honour and ‘absolutely wonderful’, adding: ‘She just smiles. She listens, she always has and she loves to be made to laugh.

‘I’ve been lucky to meet her quite a few times and she’s always charming and a laugh is never far away.

‘She came to our other set in 1982 and Prince Charles has been here. To have her here, to this set, is a wonderful bit of icing on the cake.’ 

In 1982, the Queen and the Duke’s visit to the set was deemed so significant it was broadcast live on ITV in a special 30-minute episode called The Queen in Coronation Street.

The monarch had first met cast members at the Palace Theatre in Manchester in 1977, when they appeared in a skit at the Silver Jubilee variety show.

The Queen’s visit today comes just months after Coronation Street celebrated its 60th anniversary, making it the world’s longest running drama serial. 

The show, a story of the everyday lives of ordinary folk in a northern town, was created by Tony Warren and first screened live at 7pm on December 9, 1960. 

More than 10,000 episodes later the programme has seen 57 births, 146 deaths and 131 weddings alongside affairs, murders, secrets and lies.

Its team of 27 writers and 300 staff generate six episodes a week, while the show is broadcast in 105 countries.

The production site is 7.7 acres, making it the biggest single television production facility of its kind in the world. 

The Queen, who has ramped up her schedule of royal duties in recent weeks, appeared in excellent spirits throughout the set and stopped to speak to several members of the cast and crew. 

She later visited Manchester Cathedral where she heard about the support church leaders have given to the local community during the last 18 months. 

The royal went on to visit Manchester Cathedral where the monarch met representatives from the Cathedral to hear about the support they have given to the local community during the last 18 months. 

She also met members of several community groups from across the North West, including representatives from youth groups, carers, businesses and charity volunteers to hear how they have supported those affected by the pandemic.  

After months of virtual engagements and a smattering of outings, the Queen has been ramping up her public schedule in recent weeks – and has appeared in excellent spirits while doing so. 

Last week the monarch attended the Royal Windsor Horse Show – one of her favourite events – four days in a row, after starting the week in Scotland with Prince William and Princess Anne. She also hosted Angela Merkel at Windsor on Friday.

Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, Phil Dampier, who has written about the royal family for 35 years, explained that although the Queen was ‘devastated’ by Prince Philip‘s death in April, she has been determined to carry on with public duties because he would want her to ‘live life to the full’. 

He added that the easing of lockdown restrictions has given the Queen ‘new energy’ and she is carrying out her duties with renewed ‘enthusiasm’. 

‘Some might think it is strange that she is so happy so soon after Prince Philip’s death, but I think there is a simple explanation,’ Mr Dampier explained.  

‘I’m sure she was devastated by his passing – after all they were married for 73 years. But I’m sure that he told her to enjoy what was left of her own life.

‘He would not want her to sit around mourning him like Queen Victoria did for Albert, and I bet he would want her to carry on living life to the full.

‘Ironically they spent a lot more time together at the end because of lockdown. His death wasn’t unexpected and he had a long and fulfilled life.

‘Like him the Queen is very practical and pragmatic, and she knows he would support her getting out and about.’