Picture Gallery: The Queen opens Essex academy

  • London
The Queen is a Freeman of the Drapers Company. Credit: Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA Wire

The Queen has officially opened a new school in Essex today.

She toured the £250 million site of the Drapers Academy in Romford, which staff and students moved into last month.

Year 10 students showed the Queen their science projects and the arts department also performed a scene from The Little Shop of Horrors.

At lunchtime, there wasn't a Turkey Twizzler in sight, as the royal visitor was served a sumptuous meal in the school canteen, which had been transformed specially with linen tablecloths and flowers.

The diners enjoyed a starter of ham hock terrine, with baby plum tomato relish and basil dressing, followed by a canon of lamb, Dauphinoise potato, buttered spinach, beetroot puree and pinot noir jus. For dessert roasted rhubarb and ginger creme brulee was served up with tuile biscuit. And, for the adults, it was all washed down with wine - Montagny 1er Cru La Grande Roche Latour 2010 and Chateaux Beaumont 2005.

The Queen is Freeman of the Drapers Company, which provided the majority of funds to build the school, together with Queen Mary, University of London.

Staff and students moved into the new £25m site in Harold Hill, near Romford in Essex, last month. Credit: Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA Wire
The Queen wore a peach-coloured coat and hat. Credit: Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA Wire
The Queen toured the academy's different subject departments. Credit: Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA Wire
Pupils talked to the royal visitor about their experiments. Credit: Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA Wire
The arts department also performed a scene from The Little Shop of Horrors. Credit: Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA Wire
The royal visitor was accompanied by local dignitaries. Credit: Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA Wire
The Queen sported a hat adorned with felt flowers. Credit: Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA Wire