Queen makes nine-year-old's day

Louisa wrote to the Make-A-Wish charity in Bristol

A brave young Clevedon girl gave the Queen a miniature floral crown on Monday to mark the 50th anniversary of the coronation and told her: "Thank you for making my wish come true."

Louisa Harrington, who suffers from a life-threatening heart defect, described the experience as more exciting than Christmas.

Dressed as a fairytale princess in a lilac satin dress which she designed herself, the nine-year-old greeted the Queen at 1230 BST- the precise moment she was crowned 50 years ago in Westminster Abbey.

Louisa wrote to the Make-A-Wish charity asking them to fix it for her to meet the Queen.

Royal officials asked the monarch and she agreed.

"I said 'I'm very pleased to be here today presenting you with these flowers and I must say thank you for making my wish come true'.

"The Queen asked how long ago I had made my wish and I said a few months."

She added: "This has been such an exciting day and I'm just so pleased that I've seen the Queen."

Louisa, who suffers from cardiomyopathy, met the Queen as she and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived for the official opening of the Golden Jubilee Mall Extension to the Jubilee Walkway, near London St James's Park.