A royal visitor meets centre users at Maggie's Forth Valley

The monarch met people living with cancer at the charity’s support centre in the grounds of Larbert’s Forth Valley Royal Hospital on Wednesday. As well as staff, the queen met a men’s support group round the kitchen table, women who had taken part in the centre’s expressive art class and members of the centre’s Nordic walking group.

Her Majesty visited with the Judith Phillips, the University of Stirling’s professor of gerontology and deputy principal (research), after receiving an honorary degree in recognition of her outstanding services to dementia.

Yvonne McIntosh, Maggie’s Forth Valley’s centre head, said: “It was wonderful to be able to welcome Her Majesty Queen Silvia to our centre and show her how we support people living with cancer across the UK. We are very grateful to the University of Stirling and Professor Phillips for suggesting Her Majesty visit our centre to get a better understanding of the expert support we offer people with cancer as well as family and friends.”