11 JUNE 2003
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, who was celebrating his 82nd birthday, spent much of Tuesday viewing Buckingham Palace, London's BT Tower and Edinburgh Castle. But the royal couple didn't have to travel the length and breadth of the UK to take in the sights – they viewed miniature versions of the landmarks at children's theme park Legoland, just outside Windsor.

During the visit, the monarch met her plastic alter ego, who happened to be wearing an outfit strikingly similar to the vibrant yellow dress the Queen chose for her visit. "It was only by chance we picked the right colour," said model-maker Paula Laughton.

Meanwhile, the Duke of Edinburgh seemed particularly interested in the Buckingham Palace model, noting that brown horses - not grey - should have been pulling carriages in the miniature courtyard and that the toy milkmen were delivering to the wrong door. Legoland bosses promptly assured the royal party that changes would be "implemented immediately".

"That is the sort of information we'd never normally get," said managing director Mads Ryder. The fun-filled visit was part of a royal drive to promote UK tourism. And as the Queen and her husband admired Legoland in London, Prince Charles sported a kilt as he toured Linlithgow Palace near Edinburgh.

Prince Edward meanwhile visited a caravan park in Wales, while his brother, Prince Andrew, dropped into the Drunken Duck Inn in Ambleside, Cumbria.