The Queen made some colourful new friends on Wednesday when she came face to face with Bob The Builder and Barney The Dinosaur. "Good morning," said the monarch with a broad smile, as the cartoon construction worker greeted her at a television studio in London.
Her Majesty's encounter with the children's entertainers came when she paid a visit to a HIT Entertainment. A large group of excited youngsters looked on as the royal visitor chatted with their brightly-coloured hosts.
Bob seemed relaxed and confident throughout, despite the fact that it was his first time meeting a member of the Royal Family. "He doesn't usually mix with celebrities, so it's a big day for him," said the firm's boss Simon Forrest. Dinosaur character Barney, meanwhile, is no stranger to mingling with VIPs, having previously made the acquaintance of Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and Dolly Parton.
The Queen also shared a joke with Jackie Cockle, who helped think up the Bob character. "I told her that everybody who worked in animation was quite obsessed with it and divorced from reality," revealed Jackie afterwards. "She said that must be really nice."
The monarch's appearance was part of a UK-wide drive to publicise the Queen's Award For Business, which is the highest honour a business can receive from the government. While Her Majesty was meeting the animation maestros at HIT, Prince Charles, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and the Princess Royal were also visiting firms elsewhere in Britain.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
