Queen visits city meadow with Princess Anne

The Queen visited an outdoor community initiative and two space technology companies in Glasgow, as part of her traditional trip north of the border for Holyrood Week.

She met young people at the Children's Wood Project, which has become a haven in the city for children, beekeepers and gardeners.

Later, the monarch met representatives from space technology companies.

She was joined by her daughter, the Princess Royal.

The Queen and Princess Anne visited North Kelvin Meadow, a community open space where green-fingered residents grow produce, local schools can hold outdoor lessons and residents without gardens can relax.

The unloved patch of ground was transformed by locals, with the Queen commenting that one keen gardener's ripening strawberries looked "very tempting".

The royals met beekeepers looking after hives raised up from the ground to prevent them being disturbed by the public.

The Queen was presented with a jar of honey from the site, along with a suggestion that she might like to spread it on toast.

She also met a group of children - from the nearby East Park School, which teaches young people with complex needs - and watched as they toasted marshmallows around a fire pit.

When she was offered a marshmallow the Queen politely declined saying, "No, that's very kind of you."

The Queen and Princess Anne went on to visit two space technology companies.

Employees from AAC Clyde Space, a company that develops advanced satellites, spoke to the royals ahead of a visit to the production site, where they met representatives from the UK Space Agency. They also visited Spire Global.

Shown a miniature satellite no bigger than a whisky bottle, she remarked: "That goes into space?

"It is very small."

She added: "It is very interesting, marvellous."

Since Monday, the monarch has carried out in-person engagements, celebrating Scottish community, innovation and history.

Holyrood Week usually takes place each summer as the Queen and members of the Royal Family undertake visits across Scotland.

The annual trip was cancelled last year because of the pandemic.

It is her first time visiting Scotland since the death of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in April.

He and the Queen were regular visitors to the Balmoral estate in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, for many decades.

After her trip to Scotland, the Queen will receive German Chancellor Angela Merkel at Windsor Castle in Berkshire on Friday.