Girl ‘cries with joy’ after being selected to lay toy corgi with royal tributes by Princess Kate

The eight-year-old’s teacher said she was ‘overwhelmed’ at being chosen

Princess Kate singled out a young girl for a special moment at the gates of Sandringham on Thursday (15 September).

The new Princess of Wales and Prince William were at the late monarch’s Norfolk residence reviewing the sea of tributes left to the Queen and chatting to thousands of well-wishers.

In a sweet gesture, Kate invited eight-year-old Elizabeth Sulkovska to walk with her to place a corgi teddy and a bouquet of flowers among the tributes.

Speaking afterwards, the youngster said she was “very happy” to participate in the tribute with the royal couple.

She said: “I went with her to put the flowers and the corgi down. She [Kate] said, ‘Where do you think we should lay the flowers?’ and I said, ‘We should put them there’.”

The little girl’s headteacher, Gregory Hill, from Howard Junior School in King’s Lynn, said: “'Elizabeth was overwhelmed, she cried with joy at being chosen.

“It's just a wonderful, amazing opportunity.”

Mr Hill added that the Queen’s passing had “touched a young generation”.

He said: “The older generation obviously knew the Queen for longer but young children that haven't experienced the Queen for long on the throne still are greatly moved by her passing, and really want to do their best to celebrate her life and legacy and never forget her.”

A screenshot of Princess Kate and Elizabeth Sulkovska laying a toy corgi and flowers among the tributes left to the Queen (PA)

The royal visit to Sandringham came as Sophie Wessex and her husband Prince Edward viewed floral tributes and spoke to crowds in Manchester’s St Ann’s Square.

The couple also lit a candle in memory of the Queen at the city’s cathedral and viewed the book of condolence at Manchester’s Central Library.

Elsewhere, Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence, were greeted by the sound of bagpipes and applause upon their arrival in Glasgow on Thursday.

The pair met with representatives of organisations which the Queen was patron of.

The royal family are preparing to lay the Queen to rest on Monday in a state funeral that will be televised to the nation.

Mourners continue to queue for more than nine hours to see the Queen’s coffin in Westminster House, but many said the long wait was “worth it”.

Nurse Melanie Pickman, 50, left her home in Swansea at 11am on Thursday to join the queue. She says that she is here because one might “never see this again”.

“She served our country for such a long time. We owe it to her to show our respect.”

Follow the latest updates as the world pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II