The Queen in Northern Ireland, day three

The Queen has had a busy morning in Northern Ireland on the last day of her three day tour.  In the morning, she welcomed experts from the BBC One show, Antiques Roadshow, to Hillsborough Castle. The Queen's official residence in Northern Ireland was later thrown open for people to bring their own antiques to be valued by the show.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh meet experts from the BBC One programme, Antiques Roadshow, at Hillsborough Castle on June 25th 2014

After leaving Hillsborough, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh travelled north to Coleraine where they took part in an act of remembrance for World War One.  The Queen laid a wreath at the town's Cenotaph and the royal couple stood in the drizzle with their heads bowed for several moments, paying tribute to those from the area who lost their lives in the Great War.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh lead an act of remembrance for the soldiers of World War One in Coleraine on June 25th 2014

Then it was time for a walkabout, meeting some of the hundreds of people who had turned out to see the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.  Throughout the morning they were accompanied by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Teresa Villiers.

The Queen meets some of the people who turned out in Coleraine to see her on June 25th 2014

The last engagement of the three day visit was a Civic Reception at Coleraine Town Hall before the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh left Northern Ireland.  And while the younger generations of the House of Windsor get a lot of attention most of the time, they'll be hard pressed to knock the Queen off the front pages this week - her visit to the set of Game of Thrones has gone global and the image of her holding a miniature Iron Throne is a royal image that will last and last.

The first royal sign of summer

The weather has been heating up, the sun has been shining and there's even been the odd thunder shower.  But while they may be indications that summer is on its way, there's an even clearer sign that the dark days of winter are gone and that spring is making way for the splendour of the middle of the year.  The Queen has held a garden party at Buckingham Palace.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh step into summer as the first garden party of the year takes place at Buckingham Palace

On May 21st 2014, the palace gates were thrown open to hundreds of invited guests who drank tea, ate sandwiches and cakes, indulged in strawberries and cream and spent time seeing and meeting the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Beatrice who accompanied her grandparents on this first big summer event of the year.

Princess Beatrice at the Buckingham Palace garden party that started the summer season on May 21st 2014

The tradition was started by Queen Victoria in the 1860s and every year there are at least three garden parties at Buckingham Palace and one at Holyrood House, the Queen's official residence in Scotland.  Guests come from all walks of life and are treated to cake, tea and a chance to look at the gardens of the palace which are usually out of bounds.  The weather stayed warm and dry for the first event of 2014.  And with the Queen having already attended the Chelsea Flower Show earlier this week, this garden party really is a royal sign that summer is on its way.