Royal welcome for the Queen as she visits new KPMG building in Canary Wharf

THE Queen had a Royal welcome as she opened the new KPMG building in Canary Wharf as thousands of employees cheered her arrival.

The Queen - wearing a mauve coat with a silver brooch and hat with flowers - had a tour around the building with its UK chairman John Griffith-Jones.

She met members of the Royal Household Client Services team who audit royal accounts, financial services people, graduates and the corporate social responsibility team.

After the tour, she unveiled a plaque in front of thousands of employees and was presented with flowers by Hackney City Academy pupil Safak Gunes who did a long bow.

John Griffith Jones said: “She genuinely seemed interested in what we do, especially our charity work and the building’s green credentials. She made a funny comment about Crossrail being delayed and also asked about our role during the crisis.”

Senior partner Eddie Donaldson said the firm was in a “unique position” independently auditing the royal accounts which use public and private money. “The team already see it as a privilege to work on the accounts in the first place and then to meet the Queen was a very special moment in their careers.”

The Queen also met Jade Jones, a Taekwondo champion and Olympic hopeful who KPMG sponsor, and the chair of council of Barnado’s, KPMG’s charity for 2010/11.

The last time the Queen was in Canary Wharf was in 2005 when she opened the Reuters building.