The Royal car swept into the Struet, Brecon, shortly after 4:15pm and the cheering crowds gave the Queen a warm welcome on her first visit to the town in 28 years.

From the Struet the motorcade turned into Castle Street and across the Honddu Bridge to the Castle Hotel where another large crowd was waiting. The Rolls Royce then swung through the narrow gates into the grounds of Ely Tower.

Alongside the Queen to make the formal introductions was the Lord Lieutenant who presented the Mayor and Mayoress of the Borough of Brecknock (Councillor and Mrs Ben Davies); the Borough Council’s Chief Executive (Mr E. Franklyn Jones and Mrs Jones) and the General Officer Commanding Wales (Maj-Gen. Lennox Napier) and Mrs Napier; the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon (the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Vaughan) and Miss Margaret Vaughan.

Before being escorted into Ely Tower for a brief rest period, the Queen signed the Brecknock Borough’s Visitors’ Book with her distinctive signature.

The Queen then made the short journey to the Cathedral, travelling along the Avenue and Maendu where more crowds were waiting for her.

Before entering through the West Door, the Dean invited the Queen to sign the Cathedral Visitors’ Book which was returned for safe keeping to Mr Mervyn T. Jenkins.

The 40-minute service that followed celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of the youngest Diocese in the Church of Wales. Some 650 people from all the parishes in the Diocese rose from their seats as a fanfare of trumpets announced the arrival of the Queen.

Following the service, photographs were taken on the lawn, before the Queen entered the Drawing Room. It was here where she met the wives of the Canons before the Cathedral’s oldest member, 99-year-old Mrs Rosina Lane, of The Postern, was presented to Her Majesty.

Also introduced to the Queen here were the Town Mayor and Mayoress of Brecon, Cllr and Mrs Sidney Davies.

Emerging onto Cathedral Close, the Queen was then greeted by specially invited guests and was presented with a bouquet by young Catherine Rees, of Llangynidr.

At the Cathedral Close gates the Queen was met by the Mayor of Brecknock who invited her to take a short walk-about. It was during this walk that Her Majesty was showered with flowers by children and police officers Maria Gameson and Susan Mills had to come to Her Majesty’s aid to carry the flowers to the Royal car.

Smiling broadly all the time, the Queen stopped to chat at intervals with the youngsters and also with many of the elderly residents who were seated on the pavement outside the Cathedral walls.

Before bidding her farewells the Queen told the Mayor of Brecknock how much she had enjoyed herself.