The Queen's tears for the fallen: Her Majesty makes a rare public display of emotion as she salutes Britain's war heroes in poignant service at the National Memorial Arboretum 

She normally maintains a stoic front, but the Queen couldn't help being overcome by emotion as she joined wounded veterans to pay tribute to fallen soldiers this morning. 

Her Majesty, 90, was seen wiping away a tear during a service for soldiers killed while serving in the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire.

As a tear slipped down her right cheek, the monarch placed a gloved hand to wipe it away discreetly.

She then laid a wreath at the new memorial with the message: 'In memory of the glorious dead. Elizabeth R.'

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The Queen, 90, was seen wiping away a tear during a service for soldiers killed while serving in the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire. It was an emotional morning for the Queen who last shed a tear in public when the Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in 1997

Normally utterly composed, the monarch was seen wiping her eyes in an unguarded moment - a departure from her perfectly polished public persona

The Queen laid a wreath at the monument with a message that read: 'In memory of the glorious dead.'

The emotional moment occurred as the Queen returned to her seat after unveiling the new monument. 

As she joined the assembled crowd in a hymn, the tear slipped down her cheek and it seemed to take some time to regain her composure as she shut her eyes for a few moments afterwards.

The emotional display was something of a surprise, as the Queen is not known to display her feelings in public on a regular basis.

In fact, the only time she has cried publicly before was when the Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in 1997. 

As well as unveiling the memorial, featuring a lion cast in bronze, the Queen laid a wreath marking the regiment's sacrifice

In an unusual turn of events, the Queen became emotional at a ceremony to honour war dead this morning 

The emotional moment was a departure from the monarch's normally composed public persona 

Family and friends of fallen service personnel also attended the ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum where the Queen unveiled a bronze lion memorial. 

To begin with she was in typically good spirits as she arrived at the Arboretum in an elegant blue coat with a matching floral trimmed hat.

As always she was perfectly co-ordinated with a blue and white floral dress underneath. 

In addition to unveiling the memorial, featuring a lion cast in bronze, the Queen laid a wreath marking the regiment's sacrifice.

The Queen, the Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment, also met officers from the regiment at the 150-acre arboretum, operated by the Royal British Legion.

It seemed to take the royal a few moments to compose herself after becoming tearful 

The Queen joined wounded veterans today to unveil a memorial paying tribute to soldiers killed while serving in the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire

The Queen joined members of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment in song at the ceremony 

The Queen during a service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire

She unveiled the new bronze memorial, a heraldic 'Lion of England' to commemorate the 32 people who have died whilst serving with the Regiment since its formation.

She praised the work of the memorial's creators and spent several minutes chatting to stonemason Nick Johnson and sculptor Georgie Welch, who crafted the lion from clay before it was cast at a Gloucestershire foundry.

The tribute to the regiment, which recruits in Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester, is seated on a plinth of Cumbrian stone featuring a carving of a glider.

The new bronze memorial, a heraldic 'Lion of England', commemorates those who have died whilst serving with the Regiment since its formation

The Queen looked in typically good spirits as she chatted with assembled guests 

She may have recently celebrated her 90th birthday but the Queen is as energetic as ever

The heraldic lion faces north-west in tribute to the origins of the regiment, of which the Queen is Colonel-in-Chief.

Speaking after the service, Ms Welch, who is based in Wiltshire, said of the tribute: 'It was five-and-a-half months in the making in clay before it went to the foundry.

'The Queen said it was very lifelike and that it had a real look of power. She also said it looked fearless. I was so nervous I couldn't stop my knees shaking, but the Queen was absolutely charming.

Mr Johnson, from Westbury in Wiltshire, said he was honoured to have worked on the tribute.

'It couldn't get any better,' he said. I don't think you can get any higher honour than to meet the Queen.'

The Queen unveils a plaque during the service at the National Memorial Arboretum

The Queen signs the visitor book following a service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, in tribute to soldiers from the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment

Following the unveiling, the Queen added her signature to a dedication in the visitors' book 

The Queen meets Invictus Games athlete Luke Reeson who won a gold medal in the competition organised by her grandson Prince Harry 

Following the unveiling she wrote in the visitors book, adding her signature, Elizabeth R, to the dedication: The visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday 17th May 2016 for the dedication of The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment Memorial.'

The monarch was then introduced to injured servicemen and women, including Invictus Games gold medallist Corporal Luke Reeson.

The National Memorial Arboretum is the UK's year-round centre of Remembrance, a place which honours the fallen, recognises service and sacrifice, and fosters pride in the UK.

It is a living and lasting memorial with more than 300 dedicated memorials across the 150 acre site.

The Arboretum was opened by the Duchess of Kent in 2001 in the presence of more than 1,000 veterans.

Philip Atkins, Leader of Staffordshire County Council said: 'It is an honour to welcome Her Majesty The Queen back to Staffordshire for this special dedication. 

'She has visited the county on many occasions and it is always a pleasure to show her the great work being done, particularly at the National Memorial Arboretum.

The monarch was perfectly co-ordinated in a blue hat and coat with a matching floral dress 

The new bronze memorial, a heraldic 'Lion of England', will commemorate those who have died whilst serving with the Regiment since its formation

'We are very proud to have the Arboretum in Staffordshire, which continues to be a symbolic place to learn, remember and commemorate and will continue to achieve its aim of becoming a world-class centre of remembrance.

The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment which recruits in North-West England, was formed in 2006 after an amalgamation of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment, the King's Regiment, and the Queen's Lancashire Regiment. 

This morning's engagement proves that the Queen is showing little sign of slowing down, despite recently reaching her 90th birthday. 

It was announced that the monarch would be passing on some of her royal patronages to younger family members to share her workload. 

However, she continues to be as active as ever with official engagements most days of the week. 

On Sunday she enjoyed yet another celebration of her birthday at Windsor Castle, with an extravagant concert documenting her life. 

Pop stars such as Kylie and James Blunt performed at the event, which was based around the Queen's horses. 

More than a thousands of performers and 900 horses took part in the spectacular show in the castle grounds, with her daughter Princess Anne and granddaughters Lady Louise and Zara Tindall appearing on horseback during the spectacle.