Pupils have lunch with royals

The royals stopped off at Christ's Hospital School in Horsham on Friday during a tour of the town.

Students were shocked when Her Majesty, dressed in bright pink and vivid purple hat, brazenly took out a mirror and lipstick for a touch-up soon after she had eaten her starter.

Deputy head pupil Geoff Jones, 17, who was one of her escorts for the day, was sitting next to her at the three-course meal.

He said: "It was a bit bizarre and we certainly weren't expecting it but it was nice to see. She was very normal and made us all feel very comfortable. She cracked lots of jokes.

"She asked me how people were selected from the school to be at the lunch and I said it was based on the activities they do.

"She said 'Come off it, I know better than that'."

Mr Jones said the Queen was so worried she would end up with food in her lap, she asked him to tackle a tricky dessert.

He said: "She didn't want to break into a caramel stick because she thought it might spin off into her lap. So she put it on to my plate."

Jonathan Howard, 16, was seated next to the Duke of Edinburgh.

He said Prince Philip kept everyone entertained with a string of jokes.

He said: "He came out with some brilliant one-liners. When someone came round asking if people wine or water, he said 'A beer please'. So they managed to get a can for him.

"We were also talking about the boarding houses and someone asked what came after single-sex and unisex. Prince Philip said 'multisex'."

More than 300 diners feasted on a starter of wild salmon, with lemon balm and citrus butter cream, followed by chicken with red pepper mousse and rocket risotto.

For dessert they had lemon tart served with berries.

For departing banqueting manager Pat Taylor, who has been at the school for 19 years, the meal was extra special. She said: "It was quite daunting but a privilege.

"I'll certainly be taking away some memories and it was a great way to end my time at Christ's Hospital."

The royal pair, accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, travelled to Horsham by helicopter and touched down on a school playing field just before midday.

They were then swept to the main school quadrangle by limousine where hundreds of parents braved the cold to watch the school marching band stride past.

The entourage then moved on to another quadrangle where the Queen unveiled a plaque celebrating 450 years since Edward VI granted the school its Royal Charter in recognition of its charitable work.

Many of the school's pupils come from deprived areas of inner-city London and a financial subsidy is given to 97 per cent of pupils.

Dr Peter Southern, headteacher of Christ's Hospital, said: "It has been an amazing day. The Queen was absolutely fantastic.

"She spoke to hundreds of children and did it so nicely and naturally. We were delighted."

After lunch, the royal couple left in a chauffeur-driven Bentley bound for the newly-built Forum in Horsham where thousands had gathered to welcome them.

Horsham MP Francis Maude stood alongside district council chairman Vivien Lyth and chief executive Martin Pearson to greet the royal couple.

The Queen and Prince Philip stopped briefly to receive gifts and flowers from the crowd.

The Queen cut a ribbon, which loosened hundreds of purple and yellow balloons, to unveil a stunning bronze sundial, the centrepiece of a £36 million redevelopment of Black Horse Way.

Lisa Ashton, 33, from Slinfold, near Horsham, was among an excited group of royal enthusiasts waiting to greet the pair.

She gave the Queen a gift bag containing a calendar and a chewy bone for the royal corgis.

She said: "It's the first time I have met the Queen and I am chuffed."

Marion McKenzie, 80, from Rudgwick, has seen the Queen several times before but never so close to her home.

She said: "I am delighted she has come to Horsham. It's very nice to see her and the Duke here."

The royal couple's tour ended with a visit to the newly built Capitol Arts Centre where they watched a musical performance by Horsham Children's Choir and unveiled a plaque.

The Queen was greeted in front of the centre by Horsham District Council vice-chairman Sheila Van Den Bergh, director of leisure services Chris Dier, and Cabinet member for leisure Alan Harris.

As she walked through the gleaming new building, the Queen said: "It's amazing what architects can do these days."

Inside, she was presented with a posy of flowers by chorister Lauren Law and spoke to the children and their director, Victoria Rowcroft.

Ms Rowcroft said: "It's a real honour to be asked to do it and I thought the children performed fantastically."

Anna Khoo, from Billingshurst Junior School, said: "It is quite nerve-wracking but you sort of forget everything when you start singing."

Chorister Will Knight, a pupil at Holbrook School, said: "She said we were very good and she asked us where we came from and how long we had been rehearsing."

The royal party then left the theatre and walked back out into the foyer where they met local business directors.

The Queen spoke to Evans & Sutherland managing director David Rushton, who explained how his company provided simulation technology training for pilots.

Mr Rushton said: "She was very interested. She was fascinated by the fact these pilots are trained on simulators and don't have to train in the air.

"She asked some excellent questions. She was very knowledgeable. It was a real honour."

Then the Queen and Prince Philip were shown back into the glass atrium where they met more council staff, the vicar of Horsham, Derek Tansill, and representatives of voluntary groups and charities.

The royal party was then escorted back outside to much screaming, cheering, whistling and waving from the crowd.

The Queen stopped on the steps and waved back at the sea of faces and accepted some flowers from a group of small girls, before she and Prince Philip were driven away in the Bentley.

Afterwards, Mrs Van Den Bergh said the Queen had been impressed with the Capitol.

Mrs Van Den Bergh said: "She was very charming and very at ease. She said she thought it was lovely.

"I said 'We've recycled it' and she laughed at that."