Blue and yellow flowers as Queen meets Trudeau

The monarch greeted Canada's Justin Trudeau with a handshake

The Queen posed in front of blue and yellow flowers, the national colours of Ukraine, as she held her first in-person meeting at Windsor Castle since falling ill with Covid.

On whether this was a symbolic show of support, a Royal source indicated it was unlikely to be accidental.

The 95-year-old monarch was pictured smiling warmly at the Canadian PM as he held her right hand in both of his.

Justin Trudeau was visiting for talks with the UK PM about the Ukraine war.

The monarch, who is also Queen of Canada, tested positive for Covid-19 on 20 February and has carried out only "light duties" since then, cancelling several events.

She carried out her first virtual engagements on 1 March before Monday's face-to-face meeting.

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During the audience at Windsor Castle's Oak Room, Mr Trudeau was also pictured laughing as the Queen gestured towards herself.

The Queen was not seen with the walking stick which she has been using recently.

Asked later at a Downing Street news conference about his meeting with the monarch, Mr Trudeau said: "She was as insightful and perspicacious as ever, very interested in what is going on, asked me all sorts of questions about Canada.

"We had a really useful - for me anyway - conversation about global events, as we always do."

As well as this gesture of support for Ukraine at the meeting, the Queen previously made a donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal to help people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

She has two high-profile events scheduled in the coming weeks: the Commonwealth Service on 14 March and the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service on 29 March, both at Westminster Abbey.

Last month, she reached her Platinum Jubilee after 70 years on the throne.

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