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'Splendid!' Queen's heartwarming moment with girl who throws party every year for her hearing

RETRANSMITTING WITH UPDATED CAPTION INFORMATION Queen Elizabeth II meeting eight year old Lily Conlan, a cochlear implant patient, as she officially opens the new premises of the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals in London.
Queen Elizabeth II meeting eight year old Lily Conlan, a cochlear implant patient. (Press Association)

The Queen has shared a heartwarming moment with a girl who got her hearing back - and throws a party every year for her implants.

Her Majesty has been opening The Royal National ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) Hospital and the Eastman Dental Hospital, in London. The facilities now share a state-of-the-art building and treat conditions relating to the head and neck.

The Royal Family shared a video on Twitter as the Queen met Lily Conlan, eight, who told her all about her two cochlear implants and the annual bash her family throws to celebrate hearing again.

Lily said: “Every year, as well as a birthday party, I have a party for my cochlear implants, so we celebrate my hearing.”

The Queen said it was “splendid”.

Queen Elizabeth II watching a demonstration with a rotatory chair during the official opening of the new premises of the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals in London.
Queen Elizabeth II watching a demonstration with a rotatory chair. (Press Association)
Queen Elizabeth II meeting Volunteer Vinnari Shah during the official opening of the new premises of the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals in London.
Queen Elizabeth II meeting Volunteer Vinnari Shah at the hospital visit. (Press Association)

Flo Panel-Coates, the chief nurse at UCLH, alluded to all the Queen has been going through these last months as she said: “She’s a consummate professional, isn’t she?

“She comes out and does what we all do in the health service – she does the right thing and does her duty for the people she serves.”

During her tour, the Queen saw the adult dental and paediatric treatment floors and met clinicians as well as patients.

Queen Elizabeth II during the official opening of the new premises of the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals in London. PA Photo. Picture date: Wednesday February 19, 2020. See PA story ROYAL Queen. Photo credit should read: Heathcliff O'Malley/Daily Telegraph/PA Wire
Queen Elizabeth also saw families take part in a creative health session. (Press Association)
Queen Elizabeth II unveils a plaque during the official opening of the new premises of the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals in London.
Queen Elizabeth II unveils a plaque during the official opening of the new premises of the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals in London. (Press Association)

The Queen also revealed on the dental floor that she had “wires” as a child adding: “Luckily it was a very long time ago”.

She met a boy on the paediatric dental unit who was thrilled for the break from his treatment to see the Queen, telling her: “I’m having braces.”

She replied: “I think it’s worth it, in the end.”

She met children and families who have been taking part in creative health play session and saw first hand the work the team does.

The sessions help children deal with pre-treatment nerves and explain their conditions to them.

Queen Elizabeth II meeting 10 year old Ilia Aristovich who is having braces fitted during the official opening of the new premises of the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals in London.
Queen Elizabeth II meeting 10 year old Ilia Aristovich who is having braces fitted. (Press Association)

The Queen was all smiles as she took on her first official engagement since she returned from her Christmas break in Sandringham.

She always stays in Norfolk until February to mark the date of her accession, the day her father died.

She may be returning to a somewhat turbulent household, with the final preparations underway for her grandson Prince Harry to step back from senior royal duties.

And it’s understood she may not be celebrating her son Andrew’s 60th birthday with him, as he is set to have a private dinner in the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.

The news of the divorces of her grandson Peter Phillips and her nephew the Earl of Snowdon are also likely to have saddened the royal.