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The Queen is visiting Aylesford's Royal British Legion Industries Centenary Village - here's how many times she's visited Kent

By: Alan Smith ajsmith@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 06:00, 02 November 2019

Updated: 17:17, 04 November 2019

Unfurl those Union flags, practise your cheering, and make sure you are ready to come in on the right note when the National Anthem is played - The Queen is coming to Kent.

She is due to visit the Royal British Legion Industries in Aylesford on Wednesday.

Queen Elizabeth visited the Royal British Legion Village at Aylesford in December 1975 for their golden jubilee celebrations

It will be the first time the 93-year-old monarch has made an official visit to the county since 2016 when she visited the Royal Engineers at Brompton Barracks in Gillingham.

Just the year before, in 2015, she had been to Canterbury Cathedral and on the same damp and otherwise gloomy day, officially opened The Wing - a tribute to the Battle of Britain pilots at Capel-le-Ferne, near Folkestone.

But it won't be her first trip to Aylesford - she also visited the RBL village in December 1975 to mark their Golden Jubilee celebrations.

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Her Majesty has made many trips to the county, including even before her coronation, when as Princess Elizabeth she toured Maidstone Zoo in November 1946 and visited the Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake Carriage Museum in the County Town.

In 2013, she visited the Howe Barracks in Canterbury to mark the departure of the Sutherland Highlanders. She had previously visited the barracks in November, 2004, to bestow an Operational Service Medal to Lance Corporal Gary Smith.

In 2011, she came twice, visiting Invicta Park Barracks in Maidstone where she met Gurkhas from 36 Engineer and later called at the Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate.

November 1946: Princess Elizabeth with Sir Garrard Tyrrwhitt-Drake at the Carriage Museum in Maidstone
Queen Elizabeth II presents an Operational Service Medal to Lance Corporal Gary Smith at Howe Barracks in Canterbury, Tuesday, November 9, 2004. Picture: Kirsty Wigglesworth PA

Her majesty is obviously fond of the seaside town, which she also visited in July 1993 and November 2011.

Continuing with the military theme, she visited Brompton Barracks in Gillingham in 2007.

In 1989, she attended the Kent County Show in Detling, travelling by Royal train from Bearsted.

Her daughter Princess Anne was educated at Benenden School near Cranbrook between 1963 and 1968 and during her Royal Highness's time there The Queen made several private visits, including - like all good mums - dropping her daughter off on her first day.

September 1963: The 13-year-old Princess Anne was one of 65 new girls at Benenden School
Queen Elizabeth collects Princess Anne, left, from Benenden School on her last day, in July 1968

Ashford has seen The Queen more times than most towns.

As well as official visits such as the one she made to the Templar Barracks in March 1981, she also made many private visits to Mersham, just outside Ashford, to visit her cousin, the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, and she attended the wedding of the Countess's daughter, Lady Amanda Knatchbull, at Ashford's St Mary's Parish Church in 1987.

Queen Elizabeth visited the Templer Barracks in Ashford, home to the Intelligence Corps, in March 1981
November 1984: Queen Elizabeth leaves Ashford Parish Church after the wedding of Lady Joanna Knatchbull, accompanied by Prince Edward and Prince Charles
In August 1949, The Queen - then still Princess Elizabeth, was pictured watching a game of cricket at Mersham-le-Hatch with her friend Lady Brabourne. The Duke of Edinburgh played for Mersham against Aldington. He took three wickets but was himself later bowled out lbw on his first ball

But other towns have not missed out. The Queen is the longest reigning monarch in the world and during her many decades on the throne she has found time to travel across the county, from Sheerness to Dover, from The Medway Towns to Gravesend, and from the Isle of Grain to New Romney.

Her Majesty meets young rowers during a walkabout on Dover Promenade, July, 2005
The Queen attending a Royal Maundy Sevice at Canterbury Cathedral, with The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey
July 1946: Thousands of well-wishers gathered in Canterbury to see a visit by Princess Elizabeth - as she then was - and her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth in Folkestone in February 1994 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at Shorncliffe Barracks
In August 1949 Princess Elizabeth attended a service at Canterbury Cathedral with her husband to mark the silver jubilee of he National Playing Fields Association
In August 1949, Princess Elizabeth visited Kings School in Canterbury to attend a conference of the Church of England Youth Council
In December 1976, the Queen visited Canterbury Cathedral, she is seen here admiring the stained glass windows which were undergoing restoration
December 1958: Queen Elizabeth leaves Smeeth Church with the Rector O.W.Evans, which she visited while staying with her friends Lord and Lady Brabourne (rear)
Queen Elizabeth visited Sheerness in February 1953, to see how people were faring after the worst flooding in living memory. She went on talk to people in Gravesend, Erith and Belvedere
Queen Elizabeth delighted the crowds in Rochester High Street in October 1984 during a visit to the Molly Wisdom Hospice and the Corn Exchange
Queen Elizabeth pictured with Judge John Streeter when she opened the new law courts in Maidstone in October 1984
Queen Elizabeth visited Abbot Laboratories in Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey in November 1994, where she was presented with her own lab-coat
March 1968 and The Queen spent three an a half hours at the Royal School of Military Engineering at Brompton Barracks in Gillingham in her role as Colonel-In-Chief of the Royal Engineers
Queen Elizabeth has always been popular with the children
Queen Elizabeth visiting the Corps of Royal Engineers at Brompton Barracks in Gillingham to celebrate its 300th anniversary in October 2016
The Queen visited the Isle of Grain and met employees at the power station
The Royal cavalcade at the Isle of Grain

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