The Queen visits Coronation Street and Manchester
The Queen is visiting the set of Coronation Street and Manchester today.
Last updated 8th Jul 2021
The Queen is visiting the set of Coronation Street today.
The two long-running, much-loved British institutions come together to celebrate 60 years of the ITV soap.
The royal visitor will walk down Weatherfield's famous cobbled streets, meeting cast and crew members of the soap.
She then spent time on the set of the Rovers Return, to meet more actors on the show.
The Queen began her tour with four actors who between them have more than 200 years service on the show.
Bill Roache, who plays Ken Barlow, Barbara Knox who is cast as Rita, Sue Nicholls who plays Audrey and Helen Worth, known to millions of soap fans as Gail, greeted the Queen with bows and curtsies outside the Rovers Return.
Roache told the Queen he had first seen her when she visited Jamaica in 1963, when he was serving as an officer with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
He added: "Thank you so much for coming today.''
Knox told the Queen when she first arrived: "Good morning, your majesty, you have brought the sunshine.
"You know you are like a ray of sunshine.
"And you've given us all such a lift (with) you coming, thank you very very much indeed.
"We all absolutely adore you, the world adores you.''
The Queen, who asked how they had managed to keep filming during the pandemic, replied: "It's really marvellous you've been able to carry on'', and Roache replied to laughter: Well, ma'am, you're the one who has carried on.''
The Queen last visited Coronation Street in 1982, at its original site in Manchester before the soap moved to new studios at Media City in Salford in 2013.
Her Majesty's second engagement of the day is at Manchester Cathedral where the Queen will meet representatives from the Cathedral to hear about the support they have given to the local community during the last 18 months.
During her visit she will meet community groups from across the North West, including representatives from youth groups, carers, businesses and charity volunteers to hear how they have supported those affected by the pandemic.