WHEN you are the Queen it is difficult to enjoy a day out without attracting attention. But the 82-year-old British monarch did her best to blend into the crowd as she enjoyed a ride in the cab of a miniature steam train this weekend.

    Traveling incognito, the Queen wore a raincoat, headscarf and glasses as she took the 2-km trip around the grounds of a stately home in Hampshire’s New Forest.

    The Queen had earlier named the little engine in a private ceremony before climbing aboard the bright blue locomotive. She later chatted to staff at Exbury Garden.

    The Queen, wrapped in a grey raincoat, was visiting the home of her friend Leopold de Rothschild, who drove the small engine.

    The 80-year-old merchant banker is a keen railway enthusiast and shares his passion for steam with the Queen.

    The locomotive, which weighs 5 tons, is named Mariloo after de Rothschild’s mother Marie-Louise.

    The Queen also found time to pick up a shovel and planted a young tree within the grounds Saturday afternoon. Four years ago she planted a Yew tree in the grounds.

    Exbury Gardens spokeswoman Annie Bullen said: “Members of the public were around at the time but it seems they didn’t bat an eyelid at the Queen.

    “It was a private visit, she came with very few people and was dressed very anonymously — it was certainly as if she was traveling incognito and didn’t want to be recognized.

    “There’s no doubt the Queen thoroughly enjoyed herself. We have three small steam trains here and she loves riding on them when she gets a chance.”

    Four years ago the Queen was pictured enjoying a ride on one of de Rothschild’s other small engines, Rosemary.

    (SD-Agencies)