The Queen has made many visits to Oxfordshire over the years and on every occasion she has been warmly welcomed.
In February, The Queen became the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth.
The landmark was celebrated with a four-day UK bank holiday weekend at the beginning of June.
Her first visit to the county was as Elizabeth Windsor in May, 1948 when she met staff, students and a tortoise at Oriel College.
Photo: Oxford Mail
One of her first greetings was a surprise encounter with ‘Mr Testudo’ the tortoise who was the college boat club mascot.
Since then, Her Majesty has been everything from visiting monarch meeting members of the WI to open Denman College, in Marcham, to a proud parent watching Prince Charles play polo at Kirtlington Park, north Oxfordshire, in 1968.
She even stopped to pick up a copy of the Oxford Mail at D&J Bromilow Newsagents in Berinsfield in 1997.
Photo: Oxford Mail
Although it was not until 1960 when the Queen made her first official visit to Oxford as ruling monarch, her first Royal appearance was memorable.
Strict security makes it nearly impossible for an intruder to get close, but at the Oriel College in 1948 the four-legged mascot made its move.
The then heir to the throne was greeted within minutes of her arrival by the college’s boat club mascot, who slowly made his way on to the lawn in front of her. The picture made newspapers all over the world.
The next time Elizabeth was to visit Oxfordshire was as the Queen in 1960.
Before this, royals visited Oxford for official business with the university but Queen Elizabeth asked to include a visit to Oxford Town Hall to meet the civic leaders.
She had a tour through Witney through flag-waving crowds, a stop-off to see the Heythrop Hunt and was shown gloves made at Woodstock for Queen Elizabeth I, and said: “My word, they are large.”
Since then the Queen has met with the many chancellors or university heads including a procession through Trinity College and lunch in 1960, and later several visits to Christ Church and Brasenose College.
The Queen has also played her part in inspecting military parades, including troops at St George’s Barracks, Bicester, in 1965, RAF Abingdon in 1968 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the air force, several times at RAF Brize Norton and at RAF Benson during 50th anniversary celebrations.
Photo: John Lawrence
The 1990s saw a royal visit to Radley College, Abbey sports centre in Berinsfield, and the Bodleian Library.
Heading into the 21st century, the Queen has opened several organisations including Falklands House in 2000 with a posy-clad crowd in Oriel Square, computer company Sophos at Abingdon Science Park in 2004, and Oxford Castle in 2006.
During one of the more recent visits, the Queen attended a Maundy Thursday service at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford in 2013 and handed out traditional Maundy Money purses to pensioners.
Crowds lined the streets as she arrived in the city.
“She seemed to have a smile just for me," said Marjorie Harris, after meeting the Queen at the service.
After volunteering for her church for 60 years, Mrs Harris was one of 174 pensioners from the Oxford Diocese rewarded with purses of special Maundy coins.
The 78-year-old from Sandford-on-Thames added: “As she gave me the coins she said ‘this is for you’ and I said ‘thank you Your Majesty’.”
In her 26th year as warden at the village’s St Andrew’s Church, Mrs Harris received the Maundy money in recognition of her service to the church and the community.
During the service, the Queen walked around the cathedral, assisted by the Yeomen of the Guard, to hand out the coins to Maundy recipients from Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.
One of the purses contained a £5 and 50p coin commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation while the other contained specially minted silver coins.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived shortly before 11am, to be welcomed by the Dean of Christ Church, the Very Rev Christopher Lewis, and was introduced to the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev John Pritchard.
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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF