Queen pictured using walking stick for 'first time' at public event

The 95-year-old was attending a Westminster Abbey service marking the centenary of the Royal British Legion.

She was handed the stick after stepping out of her state limousine and appeared to be moving freely as she walked to her seat for the start of the service.

She used the stick again as she left. It is believed to be the first time she has used a walking aid at a major public event.

It is believed to be the first time The Queen has used a walking aid at a major public event. (PA)

The Queen, who is the Royal British Legion’s patron, did not arrive by the traditional Great West Door but via the Poet’s Yard entrance, a shorter route to her seat.

Both developments are understood to have been tailored for the Queen’s comfort.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

Has the Queen used a walking stick before?

The Queen used a stick following a knee operation in 2003 (Andrew Parsons/PA)

The Queen was first  pictured using a stick in 2003, but this was after surgery to remove torn cartilage from her right knee.

She left the King Edward VII’s Hospital using a heavy duty one after the operation, and also used a wooden one at a Sandringham church service two weeks later.

A few days later, she used another adjustable stick when she unveiled a set of bronze gates on the Sandringham estate, using it as a means of gesturing during the event.