- Queen awarded more than 70 people with honours in Edinburgh
- Looked glorious in green as she decorated those from all walks of life
By ANNA EDWARDS
The Queen looked glorious in green as she hosted a garden party to award people from all walks of life with honours to mark their achievements.
More than 70 people were honoured at a ceremony at Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh today.
Showjumper Scott Brash, from Peebles in the Borders, was made an OBE for services to equestrianism, along with an RAF sergeant decorated for services in Afghanistan and a palace cleaner whose family served the royal household for almost a century.
Queen Elizabeth II inspects the Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland as she is formally received into the City of Edinburgh at the Palace of Holyroodhouse
The formal investitures are part of Royal Week, the time set aside each year for the Queen to carry out engagements in Scotland
The Queen, accompanied by the Earl of Wessex, chatted to guests while she walked around the grounds of the palace during the garden party.
The Queen was wearing a Stewart Parvin double-breasted silk tweed coat in mint green.
She also wore a chiffon dress in shades of green, grey and ivory and a diamond thistle brooch.
Her hat, also mint green, was by Rachel Trevor-Morgan.
Mr Brash, 27, was the youngest member of the British gold medal winning showjumping team at the London Games last summer.
'It means a lot. To be recognised in what you love doing is a fantastic thing. It's great,' he said following his meeting with the Queen.
'She asked where I was going next and how the horses are, saying it was a great achievement.'
RAF Sergeant Roy Geddes, 43, was awarded the Military Cross. He was decorated for his role defending Camp Bastion against an attack by armed insurgents on September 14 last year.
Sgt Geddes, originally from Surrey and based at RAF Lossiemouth, was commanding a quick reaction force when his vehicle was hit by a rocket.
Despite being unable to move because of a wounded knee, he kept control, prevented the position being over-run and ensured his injured crew were taken to safety.
He will be sent back to Camp Bastion in October.
For Doreen Fraser, the award of a Royal Victorian Medal marked almost 100 years of unbroken family service to the royals.
Mrs Fraser, 64, from Edinburgh, retired as cleaner, or Daily Lady, in February after 25 years.
Her grandfather Jack Mars entered service at the same palace in 1922, followed by her father Alex Paton in the 1950s.
A staunch royalist, Mrs Fraser said the Queen was a great employer and who remarked on the family's link during the ceremony.
The Queen, who is Patron of the Royal Country Dance Society, watches a performance from The Royal Country Dance Society
'I think she's lovely. The first thing she said to me was she could remember my father,' Mrs Fraser said.
Other people named in the most recent New Year Honours List include National Galleries of Scotland director general John Leighton who received a knighthood.
Journalist Magnus Linklater, a former editor of The Times in Scotland, was made a CBE while Northern Constabulary Chief Superintendent David O'Connor collected the Queen's Police Medal for his contribution to police service reform as president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents.
The formal investitures are part of Royal Week, the time set aside each year for the Queen to carry out engagements in Scotland.
The Queen earlier met First Minister Alex Salmond and Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick.
Around 8,000 people from across Scotland were invited to the annual garden party in the palace grounds
She inspected the troops, from The Royal Scots Borderers, as part of the Ceremony of the Keys at Holyroodhouse
Around 8,000 people from across Scotland were invited to the annual garden party in the palace grounds.
The Queen began the week inspecting a guard of honour of soldiers recently returned from Afghanistan. She inspected the troops, from The Royal Scots Borderers, as part of the Ceremony of the Keys at Holyroodhouse.
She is not being accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh this year. Philip is recovering from recent exploratory abdominal surgery.
Among those who met the monarch was Irene Hogg, from Loanhead, Midlothian, who was named in the Birthday Honours List last month for her services to children and families.
Mrs Hogg, 58, who will be made an MBE, is the general manager of the Loanhead After School Club.
'She was very interested in what we do, especially with children who have additional needs,' she said of the Queen.
The Queen arrived at the Palace of Holyroodhouse for the Ceremony of the Keys where she was greeted Lord Provost of Edinburgh Cllr Donald Wilson and accepted the keys to Edinburgh City
'The Queen is just wonderful. She made me feel very relaxed. I had been quite nervous thinking I had to speak to the Queen, but it was just a nice normal conversation.'
Veteran soldier Adam McKenzie, 84, from Livingston, West Lothian, joked that he was getting used to meeting the monarch.
He spent 34 years in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, leaving the Armed Forces in 1978.
Mr McKenzie said they discussed efforts to build a new memorial to veterans of the Korean War near Bathgate.
'I think we've met four or five times now. I'd say we're nearly old friends,' he said.
Amanda Fielding, a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Australian Army Ordinance Corps, also met the Queen, who is the corps' colonel-in-chief.
'It was a real honour to meet her,' she said.
'She wanted to know about why we were here, and what we were doing.
'I've been taking time for some tourism too, and catching up with family. It's been lovely.'
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