Despite living just across the river in Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II’s busy schedule meant her visits to the south of the capital were rare.
But when they happened they were memorable for all those involved.
Here are some of the moments the queen popped over the river to South London neighbourhoods and famous times she visited the area.
File photo dated 20/11/1947 when bridesmaids and a cheering crowd watched as a newly wed Princess Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh made their way to Waterloo station (Picture: PA)
Before she was queen, Elizabeth Windsor was a princess. In 1947, the then Princess Elizabeth and her husband, the newly created Duke of Edinburgh, left in a carriage procession to Waterloo Station for their train journey to Winchester and then to Broadlands for the start of their honeymoon following a royal wedding.
The royal couple’s wedding in Westminster Abbey captured the public imagination in the austere post-war days as the first great state occasion in the post-war years and a distraction from the hardships the Second World War had imposed.
Britain had been battered by its conflict with Germany, rationing was widespread and glamour in short supply.
Princess Elizabeth and her husband, the newly created Duke of Edinburgh, leave in a carriage procession to Waterloo Station for their train journey to Winchester and then to Broadlands for the start of their honeymoon.
The Royal couple were the country’s Prince Charming and Fairy Princess and their wedding in Westminster Abbey captured the public imagination in the austere post-war days as the first great state occasion in the post-war years and a distraction from the hardships the Second World War had imposed.
Britain had been battered by its conflict with Germany, rationing was widespread and glamour in short supply.
Queen Elizabeth II meets children during a visit to the Ebony Horse Club and Community Riding Centre in Brixton (Picture: PA)
The Queen made a surprise visit to Brixton’s Ebony Horse Club in Millbrook Road in 2013, accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall, she watched an equestrian demonstration in one of the most disadvantaged inner city neighbourhoods in the country.
Established in 1996 the charity horse club enables young South Londoners to ride and care for horses.
The royals were greeted by Miss Sue York, chairwoman of Ebony Horse Club, and Miss Ros Spearing, the director.
The Queen toured the stables and classroom, meeting young riders, volunteers, staff and supporters before unveiling a plaque.
Queen Elizabeth II walks with the mayor of Lambeth, Councillor Wilfred Juniper, in the Tate Gardens during her Silver Jubilee tour of South London.
In June 1977, the Queen Elizabeth celebrated her Silver Jubilee with a tour of South London that took her to Tate Gardens near the Millennium Bridge in South Bank.
There she met Lambeth mayor Wilfred Juniper and throngs of school kids and supporters.
On 9 June, the Queen made a boat trip up the River Thames from Greenwich to Lambeth, in a re-enactment of the famous progresses taken by Queen Elizabeth I.
On the trip, the Queen officially opened the Silver Jubilee Walkway and the South Bank Jubilee Gardens, two of numerous places named after the festivities.
Queen Elizabeth II walks on deck during a visit to the Cutty Sark in Greenwich (Picture: PA)
In 2012, the queen visited the famous landmark Cutty Sark in her Diamond Jubilee 55 years after she first opened it to re-open it, following a lengthy conservation project after a blaze gutted the ship. The ship was used to transport tea from Asia in the 19th century and was believed to be the fastest ship at that time.
In 1957, Queen Elizabeth visited the ship to perform the ceremony of opening the ship to the public.
The royal party toured the ship and were presented to members of the Cutty Sark Preservation Society, and the men who had worked on the vessel throughout the course of the restoration. From the poop deck, to a crowd of people, the queen said she had “much pleasure in declaring the vessel open to the public”.
In 2012, five years after it was devastated by the fire, crowds gathered to watch Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh re-open the ship.
Queen Elizabeth II visiting St Mark’s Church of England Academy in Mitcham (Picture: PA)
The Queen made her first visit to Mitcham in 2012, delighting thousands of people who had queued in the rain to greet her.
She and the Duke of Edinburgh visited St Mark’s Acadamy in Acacia Road as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
At the time, vice principal of the school, Olivia Douse, said: “It’s just a real honour for the students to have the Queen come and to be part of the London preparations.
“I think it’s absolutely fantastic for Mitcham, definitely.
“Students have been so excited in the run up to it and have been getting involved.”
During her two hour visit to the school, the Queen enjoyed a British picnic themed lunch with the Mayor of Merton.
Queen Elizabeth II visits Haig Housing Trust, Morden, south London, to officially open their new housing development for armed forces veterans and the ex-service community (Picture: PA)
Children got up close and personal to the Queen when she made a visit to Morden in October 2019.
Queen Elizabeth visited Haig Housing Trust, in Morden, to officially open its new housing development for The Queen armed forces veterans and the ex-service community.
The new development of almost 70 homes provides tailored accommodation for severely wounded and disabled veterans.
The seven different blocks that make up the development are named after the queen who was a patron of the trust.
During the visit, Her Majesty met families benefitting from the new facilities, as well as those involved in the design and construction of the new development.
Pictured top: Queen Elizabeth II during her to visit the Southwark Cathedral, London to view a new stained glass window that was created by Leifur Breidfjord to mark her Diamond Jubilee and to meet members of the Guild of Broderers who are making a new set of Jubilee Copes to be worn by the 4 Bishops of Diocese. (Picture: PA)
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