The Queen hosts celebratory tea party on the eve of Platinum Jubilee

The Queen has kicked off her Platinum Jubilee celebrations early, as she has hosted a tea party on the eve of the milestone.

On 5 February the 95-year-old British monarch hosted the gathering in the ballroom at Sandringham House, which was attended by members of the Sandringham Women’s Institute and pensioners, as well as their families, and staff and volunteers from local charities too.

To mark her 70-year reign Her Majesty pulled out all the stops, as she had a cake with the Platinum Jubilee logo detailed on, as well as coronation chicken served up to the guests, while Hunstanton Concert Band performed Congratulations to her, Hello! Online has reported.

The Queen not only received flowers, including her favourite lily of the valley, but she also enjoyed a chat with the guests, which is why one guest described the royal as being on "sparkling" form. .

She met with Angela Wood, who was a student tasked with creating the Coronation Chicken dish for the Queen's crowning in 1953. They reminisced on the day, with Angela sharing how she kept altering the recipe to suit cookery expert and chef Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume.

Angela said: "Spent days and days altering it for Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume", to which the Queen replied: "It’s probably changed because in those days we did some things quite differently."

Snippets of the special day were posted in a compilation and shared on the Royal Family's official Instagram account.

The Queen was also joined by Little Discoverers staff and volunteers, who provide early education for pre-school children with disabilities, as well as West Norfolk Befriending, which match isolated elderly with trained Befrienders so they enjoy some much-needed company.

For the occasion the Queen slipped into an Angela Kelly wedgewood crepe dress in blue and white, which she paired with a black handbag.

The event was unlike how the Queen usually spends the anniversary of her accession, which is commonly a private affair spent at Sandringham.

But this is first of many celebratory events for the Queen. who is set to carry out more engagements throughout the course of the year, as well as an extra bank holiday in June.