Queen 'officially opens' London Tube line dedicated in her honour
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Queen 'officially opens' London Tube line dedicated in her honour
On Tuesday, Queen Elizabeth II made an unexpected appearance at a ceremony to mark the completion of a long-awaited Tube line dedicated in her honour.
The line was given the name Elizabeth Line, located at London's Paddington Station.
The Queen, who was dressed in a bright yellow ensemble with a matching hat, walked gently with a cane as she toured the station and was seen smiling as she chatted with train workers.
During her official visit, she was accompanied by her youngest son, Prince Edward, and they were greeted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, and Transport for London (TfL) commissioner Andy Byford.
There, they learned about the design of the new stations and trains and met with key Crossrail project personnel and those who will operate the railway both in person and behind the scenes.
The formal launch of the Elizabeth line is commemorated by the unveiling of a plaque by Queen Elizabeth II herself. Credit: Andrew Matthews/Pool via AP.
In addition, an Oyster card was provided to the Queen, and she was instructed on how to use it at a ticket machine.
The monarch later unveiled a plaque proclaiming that she "officially opened" the Elizabeth line and spent ten minutes in the station before leaving, accompanied by Prince Edward.
It is the latest public appearance for the 96-year-old Queen, who, despite missing a speech in parliament last week owing to mobility concerns, has attended a horse show at her Windsor Castle residence on two separate occasions in recent days.
"In a happy development, Her Majesty The Queen is attending today's event to mark the completion of the Elizabeth line," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.
The Queen was also seen tapping her Oyster Card, which will be used to pay for transportation at the station. Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire.
The initial opening date for the project was December 2018 but even before the start of the pandemic, the $34 billion rail project had been frequently delayed by problems with safety testing and signalling systems.
Originally known as 'Crossrail', the Elizabeth line will connect Heathrow airport, Reading, and Shenfield, Essex to places west of London, including Reading and Heathrow airport.
On May 24, it will open to the public.
As the United Kingdom prepares to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee from June 2 to 5, commemorating her 70 years on the throne, all of her public appearances are being closely monitored.
Last week, Prince Charles was requested to preside over the official opening of Parliament and give the Queen's Speech, which outlines the government's legislative agenda.
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