Queen visits Windsor Barracks

Queen visits Windsor barracks

The Queen enjoyed meeting soldiers and their horses in Windsor Photo: ITN Pool

The Queen met soldiers and horses when she visited Combermere Barracks in Windsor today.

Dressed in a long violet coat with a matching hat, she met several soldiers from the Household Cavalry Regiment and Cavalry Mounted Regiment.

The Queen meets a soldier from Nigeria as he prepares his uniform Credit: ITN Pool

She saw soldiers cleaning and preparing items of uniform ahead of the state visit of the Emir of Kuwait to Windsor tomorrow. She also petted the drum horse, which will be on official duty for the first time at tomorrow's visit.The drum horse was renamed Adamas today, which means Diamond in Greek, in commemoration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

The Queen meets drum horses at Windsor barracks Credit: ITN Pool

The Queen then took a tour of the training school where she saw a riding lesson being undertaken by 19-year-old Trooper Thomas Ephgrave, from Leatherhead in Surrey.Trooper Ephgrave has been learning to ride for four weeks, after joining the Army in March.

Trooper Thomas Ephgrave is asked about his riding lessons Credit: ITN Pool

The Queen asked him about his horse, which is named Elizabeth after her and is often ridden by the Princess Royal at the Queen's Birthday Parade in June each year.She was also impressed to know that joining the Army was what Trooper Ephgrave had always wanted to do.

The Queen is shown armoured fighting vehicles Credit: ITN Pool

The Queen also seemed intrigued when shown armoured fighting vehicles which were at the forefront of Britain's military operations in the Falklands, Bosnia and more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan.She asked soldiers about their families and their time in Afghanistan.