Diamond Jubilee: Queen officially names Birmingham hospital

The Queen met well-wishers in Victoria Square

The Queen has officially named a Birmingham hospital as part of her two-day visit to the West Midlands.

Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, she arrived at Snow Hill Station and began her visit in Victoria Square before a short tour of the city centre.

The royal party then continued to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham where a piece of glasswork was unveiled as part of the naming ceremony.

The £545m building was opened to patients in June 2010.

The Queen met members of the hospital staff before being welcomed by Dame Julie Moore, chief executive of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Sir Albert Bore, chairman of the trust.

'Really nerve-wracking'

The hospital is home to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, which treats service personnel who are severely wounded overseas.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh also met more former patients, volunteers and staff before being presented with a posy by Bethan Davies.

The 20-year-old Young Persons Unit patient from Herefordshire, whose great aunt was a member of the royal household, has been undergoing chemotherapy at the hospital since she was diagnosed with an adrenal tumour in January.

Ms Davies said: "It was really nerve-wracking, but she was lovely and asked me whether I was a patient here and about my treatment. It was such an honour to meet her."

Dame Julie said: "The trust has a long history with the Queen Elizabeth name, with the Queen Mother naming the old hospital in 1939."

Silver bowl

Sheila Clarke, from Glasgow, had travelled to Birmingham to see the Queen in Victoria Square, waiting since 05:00 BST.

Ms Clarke, who also saw the Queen on her visit to Worcester on Wednesday, said it was "lovely to be in Birmingham."

The Queen was also presented with a silver bowl, created in the city's Jewellery Quarter as part of her visit, by Kay Alexander, chairman of Birmingham Assay Office.

The royal party then left Birmingham for RAF Cosford in Shropshire.