Luckily, this time she had no need for a parachute.
In 2012, the Queen was seen leaping from a helicopter in a mocked-up stunt for the opening ceremony of the London Olympics.
But yesterday, with no James Bond to keep her company, she was treated to a more orthodox touchdown – on what, for her, would have been an equally special occasion. The Queen had flown from Windsor to Kensington Palace to see her sixth great-grandchild, Prince Louis, for the first time.
Looking happy and relaxed, the 92-year-old monarch clutched a posy of spring flowers tied with a silver ribbon – presumably a hand-picked gift for her granddaughter-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge – as she emerged from her burgundy-liveried official helicopter in Perks Field after a 40-minute flight.
The Queen emerges from a helicopter after flying the short journey to Kensington Palace to meet Prince Louis
The Queen had flown from Windsor to see her sixth great-grandchild, Prince Louis, for the first time yesterday
The Queen, carrying her Launer handbag, climbed out of the helicopter at Kensington Palace and walked across the grass
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their third child, Prince Louis, outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital, London
The Queen – dressed in headscarf, tweed skirt, pink cashmere jumper and sensible lace-up shoes, and carrying her Launer handbag – laughed and joked with police protection officers.
Walking unaided, she glanced towards the growing crowd and smiled before she was driven, a blanket on her knees, in her official Range Rover the short distance to William and Kate’s apartment.
Although she was there to meet Louis, her visit would no doubt have gone down well with her other great-grandchildren, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who both adore her. George, four, memorably named her ‘Gan Gan’.
No doubt Gan Gan also had a present for Princess Charlotte, who celebrates her third birthday today.
The royal helicopter landed at Kensington Palace, west London, shortly after 2pm yesterday, carrying the Queen
One of the Queen’s police protection officers puts stairs in place for the Queen to climb out of the burgundy helicopter
The Queen emerged from her burgundy-liveried official helicopter in Perks Field after a 40-minute flight
The Queen was dressed in a headscarf and a tweed skirt for the helicopter ride from Windsor
The Queen had been staying at Windsor Castle with Prince Philip, who is recuperating from a hip replacement, when Prince Louis of Cambridge was born on Monday last week.
She was one of the first people William, 36, telephoned with the news that his third child had been delivered safely, but until yesterday afternoon he and Kate had not had the chance to introduce him to her. It was decided that they would wait until the Queen returned to London for the start of her working week. There has been no word yet as to whether Prince Charles has been to see Louis, his third grandchild.
Earlier, the Cambridges had formally registered Louis’ birth, with proud father William signing the certificate, witnessed by Westminster City Council registrar Patricia Gordon.
The document gives the baby’s full name, His Royal Highness Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge, and lists his parents’ occupations as prince and princess of the UK.
The prince, who is taking time off following the birth, simply signed the document ‘William’.
The Queen wore pink cashmere jumper and sensible lace-up shoes as she walked across the grass from her helicopter
The 92-year-old monarch clutched a posy of spring flowers tied with a silver ribbon – presumably a hand-picked gift
The Queen laughed and joked with the police protection officers who opened the doors of the Range Rover for her
The Queen gets into the Range Rover on the grounds of Kensington Palace as protection officers carry bags for her
The Queen was driven, a blanket on her knees, in her official Range Rover the short distance to William and Kate’s apartment
The Range Rover took the Queen to William and Kate’s apartment, after she had stayed at Windsor Castle last week