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Queen Elizabeth Is All Smiles as She Steps Out on Son Prince Andrew's Birthday to Open Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Is All Smiles as She Steps Out on Son Prince Andrew's Birthday to Open Hospital

Queen Elizabeth stepped out on Wednesday to officially open the new premises of the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals.

The 93-year-old monarch stuck to her usual uniform: a long coat accessorized with an eye-catching brooch and matching wide-brimmed hat in a bold shade (today, a regal purple) paired with gloves and her signature Launer London handbag.

The Queen saw the work being carried out at the hospitals, now both under one roof, firsthand. She met with patients who have benefitted from the hospital’s care and met dental and ENT staff as they showcased the units. On the pediatric floor, she saw children and their families taking part in creative health play sessions and learned how the kids are put at ease during their visits. And the children were well-prepared to meet Queen Elizabeth — they waved Union Jack flags and wore gold paper crowns on their heads.

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Dinendra Haria/Anadolu Agency /Getty
Dinendra Haria/Anadolu Agency /Getty
Queen Elizabeth | Heathcliff O'Malley/WPA Pool/Getty
Queen Elizabeth | Heathcliff O'Malley/WPA Pool/Getty
Queen Elizabeth | Heathcliff O'Malley/WPA Pool/Getty
Queen Elizabeth | Heathcliff O'Malley/WPA Pool/Getty

The Queen was all smiles despite recent family drama, including two divorce announcements as well as grandson Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s transition out of royal life.

Queen Elizabeth | Karwai Tang/WireImage
Queen Elizabeth | Karwai Tang/WireImage

Her outing falls on son Prince Andrew’s 60th birthday. The Queen’s second son stepped down from royal duties in November due to the disastrous interview regarding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Despite the controversy, the official Royal Family social media accounts celebrated with a dedicated post to Andrew.

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Both hospitals, which are undertaking groundbreaking research and new ways to treat rare conditions, are part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. More than 200,000 appointments will be carried out each year at the new facility.