The Queen hosts special reception at Sandringham House ahead of Platinum Jubilee
‘I’ll just put a knife in it…someone else can do the rest!’ ‘Sparkling’ Queen delights audience with quip as she cuts a cake to mark tomorrow’s Platinum Jubilee
The Queen, 95, hosted pre-Jubilee reception at Sandringham House in NorfolkDuring the event, she made several quips about the cake, and joked with guests Attendees included members of local community groups and charities Tomorrow marks the milestone of the first British Monarch reaching 70 years on the throne
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The Queen made guests laugh as she joked about cutting a cake during a special reception today ahead of her Platinum Jubilee tomorrow – with attendees saying she was on ‘sparkling’ form.
The monarch, 95, who is just hours away from becoming the first British sovereign to reach a historic 70 years on the throne, joined members of the local community in the ballroom of Sandringham House in Norfolk to mark her milestone this afternoon.
She wore an Angela Kelly wedgwood blue crepe with white brocade dress – and also a pair of glittering Platinum floral brooches to mark her Jubilee of the same name, with a nod to her beloved Duke of Edinburgh.
The Nizam of Hyderabad Rose brooches, adorned with diamonds and set in the silvery white metal, were given to her as a wedding present when she married Philip.
The Queen, who beamed with delight throughout, also carried her trademark black handbag and a wooden walking stick.
During the event, her Majesty was presented with a locally-baked cake and a large knife and asked to cut the first slice.
Plunging the blade in, she made guests laugh when she joked: ‘I think I might just put the knife in it.’ Her Majesty then quipped: ‘Someone else can do the rest.’
Queen Elizabeth, 95, made cuts a cake to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee during a reception at Sandringham House in Norfolk
Guests at the reception included members of the local community and volunteer groups including the Women’s Institute
‘Sparkling’: Her Majesty, who was wearing a powder blue dress, appeared in good spirits as she hosted the special event
Before making the first slice, the monarch had also joked about the how the decorative emblem on the cake was the wrong way for her so it could be seen by the press.
‘They can see it,’ she quipped. ‘I don’t mind, I don’t matter…Well I think I can probably read it upside down.’
Among the guests at the lively event were members of the Sandringham branch of the Women’s Institute – of which the Queen has been a member since 1943, and the President since 2003.
Other attendees included Sandringham Estate pensioners and their families, and representatives from local charities Little Discoverers and West Norfolk Befriending.
Mrs Angela Wood, who helped create the original recipe for Coronation chicken in 1953, was also a guest, and was photographed chatting with Her Majesty as the pair discussed the work involved in developing the recipe at the time.
Mrs Wood made the Queen laugh when she told the monarch she spent ‘days and days altering it for Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume’.
All eyes were on her Majesty, as she plunged the knife into her Platinum Jubilee cake, causing the room to erupt in laughter as she made jokes about leaving the rest of the slicing to someone else
The cake, which Queen Elizabeth cut to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee, was specially prepared by a local resident and featured the Platinum Jubilee emblem
Guests roared with laughter as Queen Elizabeth made jokes about sticking the knife into the cake, before leaving someone else to finish slicing it
Her Majesty quipped that she could read the decorative writing even though the cake was facing the wrong way for her, and instead was the right way round for the assembled press
During the event, her Majesty was snapped speaking with Angela Wood (left), who helped create the Coronation chicken recipe in 1953
Her Majesty made guests erupt with laughter when a tray of Coronation chicken bites were brought into the room, and she told Angela Wood, who co-created the recipe in 1953, that she would leave the room while the cook tried the food
Shaun Mason (left) a junior sous chef created small tartlets filled with coronation chicken – which he offered to Angela Wood (far left), who helped create the original coronation chicken recipe in the 50s
Commenting on how the recipe for coronation chicken has likely developed over the years, the Queen told Angela Wood: ‘It’s probably changed because in those days we did some things quite differently.’
Shaun Mason, a junior sous chef, had created tiny bite size morsels of Coronation chicken – chicken with curry spices, apricot in a savoury tartlet, and he carried a tray of his creations into the ballroom and announced they were available to sample.
As the morsels were placed between the Queen and Mrs Wood to try, the room erupted with laughter when the Queen quipped ‘I’ll go away’, she turned to add: ‘You can tell me (what you think) when I come back.’
Another guest, Mr Harry Humphrey, the Mayor of King’s Lynn, presented The Queen with a Loyal Address and Platinum Jubilee Mosaic created by school children from across West Norfolk.
Mayor of King’s Lynn, Mr Harry Humphrey, presented the Queen with a Platinum Jubilee Mosaic created by school children from across West Norfolk during the event
The mosaic, which children made to celebrate the Queen’s historic accomplishment in reaching 70 years on the throne, was put on display during the Sandringham reception
The Jubilee is the Queen’s first without her consort Philip – her ‘strength and stay’- who died just 10 months ago at the age of 99
Her Majesty speaks to pensioners from the Sandringham Estate, who attended the event alongside other groups, including Women’s Institute members
Before leaving the reception, the Queen was presented with a posy of flowers, featuring blooms that had been in her coronation bouquet, including lily of the valley
Despite the bracing temperatures, the monarch look stoic in her green winter coat. She wrapped one of her trademark headscarves around the top of her walking cane
The monarch was spotted holding her stick as she left Sandringham House after the reception. Hunstanton Concert Band, played ‘Congratulations’ as she left
While Queen Elizabeth used as wooden walking stick throughout the day, she did not seem to be short of energy, with attendees noting she was on ‘sparkling’ form
When leaving the event, her Majesty received a posy which included flowers that formed part of The Queen’s Coronation bouquet in 1953, such as lily of the valley.
Photographs were released yesterday of Her Majesty looking at her Platinum Jubilee cards and memorabilia from the Golden Jubilee in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle
Although dismantled to make another headpiece, the original floral design tiara, set in diamonds and platinum and made by Cartier, featured three detachable brooches, each depicting a rose.
The Queen wears the roses often – either as a pair or individually.
She wore two of the smaller rose brooches at Government House in Melbourne during her tour of Australia in 1954.
The diamond necklace also remains in its original condition and has been worn by the Duchess of Cambridge.
Today’s celebration followed the release of official photos yesterday, kicking off the Jubilee weekend. The images showed the Queen looking at her Platinum Jubilee cards and memorabilia from the Golden Jubilee in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle.
Her Majesty made sure to pay a touching tribute to her beloved ‘Papa’, George VI, wearing the aquamarine and diamond clip brooches he gifted her for her 18th birthday in April 1944.
Tribute: The Queen paid a touching tribute to her father, choosing to wear the aquamarine and diamond clip brooches he gifted her for her 18th birthday in April 1944.
Her aquamarine and diamond clip brooches were worn separately in a diagonal setting on her turquoise dress, in a touching tribute to her father King George VI
One of the photos shows her majesty taking a break from looking at memorabilia, to lean down and stroke her pet Dorgi called Candy
Images released ahead of the Platinum Jubilee showed the Queen looking at items from a display of memorabilia from her Golden and Platinum Jubilees, including cards she has been sent
These handcrafted cards were among the greetings and messages sent to her Majesty for her Golden Jubilee and carefully stored for the last 20 years
In the snaps, the royal can be seen beaming as she views cards from well-wishers, before leaning down to stroke her pet dog Candy.
Meanwhile there were a number of personal photographs propped against a table in the background of the image, including photographs of Kate Middleton with Prince William, the Duke with his brother Prince Harry, and a third showing Princess Beatrice and Eugenie.
Tomorrow, February 6th, the Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years since she acceded the throne.
This Jubilee will the first she has commemorated without her husband Prince Philip, who died in April.
National celebrations to mark the Jubilee are being held on a special four-day bank holiday weekend in June, with festivities including a pop concert at the Palace, a service of thanksgiving and a pageant on The Mall.
