LSA News

Her Majesty The Queen Meets Leigh Academies Trust Students During Stationers’ Hall Visit

Posted on by Leigh Stationers' Academy
Queen Camilla, wearing academic regalia, is presented with a blue box from a young boy. Both are smiling. A man is standing behind the boy, also observing. The background features dark wood paneling, a grandfather clock, and framed portraits, suggesting an indoor setting similar to the previous image.
17
Jul

On Tuesday 15 July, Her Majesty The Queen was formally cloathed as an Honorary Freeman and Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, the City of London livery company for the communications and content industries. The ceremony, held at the historic Stationers’ Hall, recognised Her Majesty’s longstanding support for literacy.

During the visit, Her Majesty met students from Leigh Stationers’ Academy and Leigh Stationers’ Primary Academy, both part of Leigh Academies Trust and supported by the Stationers’ Company. The students took part in the event alongside representatives from across the Stationers’ Company and its charitable programmes.

Queen Camilla, wearing a white jacket, is receiving a bouquet of flowers from a young girl. Another woman in a red and white patterned dress and a woman in academic regalia are also present. The scene appears to be outdoors, with a building and greenery in the background.

Khivi Chaggar, a pupil at Leigh Stationers’ Primary Academy, presented a posy of flowers to The Queen on her arrival. Later during the tour, her fellow academy pupil, Zachary Welsh, a pupil at Leigh Stationers’ Primary Academy, presented The Queen with a specially bound copy of A Shakespearean Botanical by Margaret Willes. The book was bound by Matt Stockl, a former apprentice of The Queen’s Royal Bindery Apprenticeship Scheme, developed in partnership with the Stationers’ Company.

Queen Camilla, wearing academic regalia, is presented with a blue box from a young boy. Both are smiling. A man is standing behind the boy, also observing. The background features dark wood paneling, a grandfather clock, and framed portraits, suggesting an indoor setting similar to the previous image.

Leah Mbabaali, a sixth former at Leigh Stationers’ Academy, also presented Her Majesty with a framed copy of the copyright entry from 1623 of Shakespeare’s First Folio, held in the Stationers’ Company’s archives.

Queen Camilla, dressed in academic regalia, is looking at a framed document on an easel. Another person, possibly a student, is standing next to her and pointing at the document. A man in a suit is standing to the left, observing. The setting appears to be an ornate room, likely historical, with dark wood paneling and a fireplace.

A detachment of Royal Marines Cadets from Leigh Stationers’ Academy formed an honour guard on Her Majesty’s arrival, representing the academy’s affiliation with the Royal Marines Cadets and the Stationers’ Foundation’s support for service charities.

Leigh Academies Trust was also represented by Helen Esmonde, Master of the Stationers’ Company in 2015 and a Director of the Trust. Helen was one of two sponsors for Her Majesty’s formal clothing into the Company and plays an important role in advancing educational opportunity through both the Stationers’ Foundation Company and the Trust.

Queen Camilla, on the left, is looking towards and possibly speaking with the woman in the red and white floral dress, who is smiling. Queen Camilla is still holding the bouquet of flowers. Between Queen Camilla and the woman in the floral dress, a man in a fur-trimmed robe and a woman in red academic-style robes are visible, both smiling and looking towards the interaction. The young person in the school uniform is also visible on the far right, smiling and looking in the same direction. The background is similar to the first image, with a brick building and green foliage.

The visit also highlighted the success of the Shine School Media Awards, supported by the Stationers’ Foundation, which has helped launch the careers of young journalists across the country.

Following the ceremony, Her Majesty toured the Hall, met students, apprentices, veterans, cadets, and members of the Company, and attended a reception in the garden of Stationers’ Hall.

Leigh Academies Trust is proud to have contributed to this historic occasion, promoting literacy, opportunity, and aspiration — a mission shared across its family of academies.

This image captures a moment during Queen Camilla's installation as an Honorary Freeman and Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers on July 15, 2025. Queen Camilla, on the left, is seen shaking hands with a woman in a red and white floral dress. Queen Camilla is holding a small bouquet of light-colored flowers. In the background, to the right of Queen Camilla, an older woman in academic-style robes (red with blue trim) is visible, along with a younger person in a school uniform, both looking towards the interaction. The setting appears to be outdoors, with a building made of brick in the background to the left and green foliage on the right.
Leigh Stationers' Academy