Queen's 90th birthday: She came, she saw, she conquered: Elizabeth II's visits to the Black Country and Staffordshire
From honouring soldiers serving their country to giving new visitor attractions the royal seal of approval – the Queen has been a regular visitor to the region throughout her 64-year reign.
And her many visits have all had one thing in common – the devoted crowds who have turned out in force to line the streets and show how much the monarch is loved and respected.
But her tours of the area have also brought unexpected drama including a security alert in Tipton sparked by a suspect package – which turned out to be a child's packed lunch – and a misbehaving Rolls-Royce which broke down near Walsall Town Hall.
Her first visit to the region following her accession to the throne was in 1957 when the monarch, along with the Duke of Edinburgh, received a right royal St George's Day welcome in Dudley and North Worcestershire. Her tour included stops at the Walter Somers factory in Halesowen, the municipal buildings in Oldbury, Dudley town centre, Stevens and Williams glassworks in Brierley Hill and Mary Stevens Park in Stourbridge where the couple travelled in an open-top car.
A crowd of 30,000 was present to see the Queen visit Molineux in May 24, 1962, presenting new colours to the Fifth Battalion South Staffs Regiment, and other military units including the Staffordshire Yeomanry and the North Staffs Regiments. She even apologised for damaging the turf with her high heels.
After the pageantry at the stadium, she had lunch with dignitaries before going on to Wolverhampton Grammar School, Wednesfield and Walsall.
On July 27, 1977, the royal couple had an eventful trip around the Black Country as part of a Silver Jubilee tour, which included a visit to Wolverhampton. Her Majesty's Rolls-Royce Phantom Landaulette had behaved impeccably during her visit to Wolverhampton earlier in the day, but it ran into trouble as the tour reached Walsall Town Hall.
Mechanics Chris Tate and Fred Budd raced to the rescue but the car required a new fuel pump which could only be obtained from the factory in Crewe, meaning that the Queen would be unable to finish her tour in the car.
Instead the P J Evans Rolls-Royce garage in Sedgley provided her with a new Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow to finish her engagements for the day. Service manager Terry Stanley then picked up a new pump and the car was returned to the Queen in full working order the following day.
A short while later, service manager Mr Stanley received a letter from the Queen's equerry thanking him, Chris and Fred for their work. During this visit she also mingled with pupils from Newbridge Primary School.
On June 6, 1980, it was the turn of Staffordshire to roll out the red carpet for the royal as she visited Saxon Hall School in Lichfield as well as taking a tour of Shugborough Hall, the ancestral home of her cousin, the late Lord Lichfield. While there she presented a new guidon – pennant – to the Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry
Dudley Zoo, Molineux and Dunstall Park were all on the royal agenda on June 24, 1994.
But the visit also prompted a security alert after a suspect package was found outside the MEB base in Tipton on the day of her visit.
Police cleared back the crowds on the corner of Brick Kiln Street as an explosives expert was called to the scene. The package turned out to be a child's school bag full of books and sandwiches.
The Queen was the guest of honour to open an interpretation centre at the 11th century castle in Dudley – becoming the first monarch to visit the monument since Queen Elizabeth I in 1575.
During her visit Her Majesty was given a tour of the centre before unveiling a piece of commemorative glass and receiving a crystal key to the castle as a gift from the borough. Schoolchildren then performed a concert in the courtyard in her honour.
Dudley Zoo press officer Rachel Hickman was there on the day. She said: "I went with my mum Maggie, sister Sarah, nan Gwen and nan's best friend, Mary.
"I was nine and it was my sister's eighth birthday on that day. I remember it was really hot and sunny and as we live close to the zoo we were one of the first visitors to arrive in the courtyard, so got a place right at the front and the Queen came along our row to shake hands.
"Her outfit will be something I always remember, especially her orange hat – as Sarah and I were wearing that colour too.
"My mum's always been a royalist – so it was the only time she ever let us have time off school, although she made sure we went straight to school afterwards.
"I also got the chance to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in 2011 as a member of the regional press – although the weather was in stark contrast to her Dudley visit, with pouring rain for the duration of the two-hour event. But seeing the Queen, aged 27, was just as magical as seeing her aged nine."
Her visit to Molineux was to unveil a plaque marking the completion of redevelopment work at the stadium.
She was greeted by Sir Jack Hayward and given a tour of the stadium before meeting club officials.
The Queen also visited Dunstall Park to officially open the £13.5million racecourse.
In May 2000, the Queen gave the £21m New Art Gallery her royal seal of approval.
A 3,000-strong crowd braved chilly weather to wave and cheer as the royal party arrived in Gallery Square.
The monarch was presented with a leather saddle as a gift from the people of the borough before meeting with members of the crowd, many of whom gave the Queen bouquets of flowers.
As part of her Golden Jubilee tour, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh paid a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire in July 2002. The royal couple met groups and individuals involved in setting up and running the site before a short service and blessing in the arboretum's chapel, which was relayed to the gathered groups of veterans, British Legion members and members of the public outside.
The Queen and Prince Philip planted trees to mark their visit, and 52 doves were released from wicker basket. Two of the doves were donated by The Queen's Keeper of the Doves at Sandringham. The remaining 50 – each representing a year of The Queen's reign.
They returned to the county again on March 31, 2006, to join in celebrations in Stafford to mark the 800th anniversary of the town being granted its first royal charter by King John.
Accompanied again by Prince Philip, the Queen wore a deep pink double-breasted coat and matching hat with patent leather black court shoes. She was presented with a posy of gerberas, which matched her outfit, by eight-year-old Benny Hood from St Bedes's School at Wolseley Bridge. Staffordians lined the streets as the Queen and Prince Philip were taken off by a Bentley to the first engagement – a service of thanksgiving in the church to mark the anniversary.
Children from Leasowes Infants School lined St Mary's Passage with flags to greet the Queen and airmen from RAF Stafford provided the guard of honour at St Mary's Church.
One of her royal duties was to unveil a stained glass window in the church to commemorate the town's shoe and boot industry. During another visit to the county in 2011, Black Country soldiers were honoured by the Queen for the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry (RMLY) homecoming parade and thanksgiving service.
They included 22-year-old Lance Corporal Chris Smith, from Willenhall, Corporal Alan Seston, 23, from Bearwood, Lance Corporal Kenny Davies, 34, and Sergeant Andy Morris, 31, both from Dudley. The service at Lichfield Cathedral followed their five-month tour in Afghanistan's Helmand Province.
The following year, the Queen was a guest at RAF Cosford as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebratory nationwide tour.
To mark the monarch's 60 years on the throne, a crowd of 30,000 people turned out for a spectacular pageant procession featuring 5,000 schoolchildren.
Two years later, the monarch made her first visit to Wolverhampton for two decades as she officially opened the £500 million Jaguar Land Rover engine factory on the i54 business park.
Her arrival brought out the crowds who lined the route and held their camera phones aloft to capture what could be a once in a lifetime moment. There were plenty of flag waving and cheering and the royal party made its way through the city.
The monarch arrived at the Wolverhampton's railway station by Royal train before making the four-mile journey along the A449 Stafford Road in a Range Rover to the i54 business park. Along with her trademark beaming smile, she wore a stunning Peter Enrione teal dress and coat with matching Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat as well as a Walsall-made Launer London handbag.
For her visit to the JLR Engine Manufacturing Centre and International Security Printers (ISP), she was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh. Her Majesty toured two parts of the JLR factory. She also met schoolchildren from Wednesfield High School, which specialises in engineering, and Brewood Middle School.
In November last year, the second city was awash with excitement as the Queen officially opened Birmingham New Street following its £600million revamp. As she unveiled a plaque formally opening the station, the Queen was cheered by thousands of people, with some shouting "God Save the Queen".
There was also a short service of remembrance to the Birmingham Pals, killed in the Great War. On the day, The Duke of Edinburgh raised smiles when he asked rail staff: "Do you announce in Brummie?"
