The Queen was due to visit the Halcyon Days factory in Staffordshire back in 2020 to mark its own Platinum Jubilee of 70 years, but plans were put on hold when the pandemic struck.

By Rachel Russell, news reporter

The Queen was seen smiling broadly as she viewed a display of hand-decorated teapots and antique enamelled trinket boxes that were brought to Windsor Castle.

The 95-year-old was seen looking at a range of luxury pieces by British craftwork firm Halcyon Days, which is held in high esteem by the royals as it has three Royal Warrants.

She also watched a demonstration of traditional enamelling and gilding by hand by master artisans as part of her celebrations to mark 70 years as the monarch.

The event was the Queen's first official face-to-face engagement with a number of people for more than seven weeks since her Platinum Jubilee reception at Sandringham House.

She contracted COVID in February and also spent more than three months from October carrying out only light duties under doctors' orders.

During the event. the Queen was also seen holding a small oval Windsor Castle trinket box with a red base that was decorated with a black and white painting of her favourite royal residence.

She picked up a larger rectangular trinket box, edged in lavender, featuring three colour portraits of her late mother the Queen Mother as a young woman.

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The piece was released in 2005 and features Samuel Warburton's 1923 triptych painting of the Queen Mother in the year she married the Queen's father.

The Queen Mother was an avid fan of the firm's creations and first commissioned an enamel box in 1970 of her London home Clarence House.

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The monarch also saw Halcyon Days' first ever "year box" from the Silver Jubilee of 1977 and viewed new Platinum Jubilee pieces that were dark blue and painted with platinum flowers of the realm.

She seemed particularly taken with the Castle of Mey tea range, admiring the pastel floral detail, which was inspired by the Queen Mother's favourite flowers including primulas, pansies and Albertine roses.

'The experience was simply fabulous'

Peter Harper, owner of the firm, and Pamela Harper, chairman and chief executive, talked the Queen through the pieces.

Mrs Harper described the event as a "great privilege" as she said afterwards: "We are deeply honoured and the experience was simply fabulous."

Susan Jones who, along with fellow master artisan Susan Shakespeare, performed the demonstrations for the Queen, said: "The experience was truly, truly wonderful and one that not many have had and I'm still a bit in shock.

"We were so nervous, but Her Majesty's nature made us feel so relaxed. It was absolutely amazing."

Princess Alexandra's granddaughter Zenouska Mowatt, who is the company's head of marketing, also attended.

The Queen is said to be hoping to attend the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service on Tuesday.