Queen visits Lee Rigby's barracks to pay her respects as coroner hears soldier had to be identified by dental records

The Queen has paid her respects to Drummer Lee Rigby by meeting officers and soldiers at the barracks where the murdered soldier was stationed.
She met, in private, military personnel from Woolwich Station where Drummer Rigby lived and others he worked with in his regiment's outreach team.
Her visit came as a coroner was told his body could only be identified by his dental records after he was killed when he returned to his barracks following a day working at the Tower of London.

Drummer Rigby's family were not at Southwark Coroner's Court to hear the brief details of the circumstances surrounding his death last week, but they thanked the public for the 'overwhelming support'.

As his inquest was opened and adjourned they said in a statement: 'We would like to emphasise that Lee would not want people to use his name as an excuse to carry out attacks against others.'

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The Queen today visited the barracks where Drummer Lee Rigby served to pay respects to the fallen soldier

The Queen received a bouquet of flowers from Alice Edward (left), 6, from Salisbury, as she arrived for a visit to the King's Troop at Woolwich Barracks

Lieutenant Colonel Bob Christopher, commander of Woolwich Station, and his team met the Queen, as did staff from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers' outreach team, Drummer Rigby's regiment, based at the Tower of London

An hour before the Queen arrived in Woolwich to visit the new home of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery - a mounted, ceremonial unit - Buckingham Palace announced she would mark the death of the soldier by holding the meetings before having lunch in the Sergeant's Mess.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the Queen met 'those who co-ordinated the barracks response to the events of last week and some of those who formed part of Drummer Rigby's chain of command'.

She stressed that the royal engagement was a longstanding commitment and that 'the Queen was privately acknowledging the events of last week'.

The Queen's journey to the barracks in south east London did not take her past the hundreds of floral tributes left at the railings.

Lieutenant Colonel Bob Christopher, commander of Woolwich Station, and his team met the Queen, as did staff from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers' outreach team, Drummer Rigby's regiment, based at the Tower of London.

It is not known how long the Queen chatted to the service personnel, who were not available for a comment afterwards.

The Queen met, in private, military personnel from Woolwich Station where Drummer Rigby lived and others he worked with in his regiment's outreach team during the visit

During her visit to Woolwich the Queen was greeted with a rare sight - a mounted guard of honour

The Queen gets her picture taken with officers during her visit to the Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich today

The Queen's visit comes nine days after the death of Drummer Lee Rigby

The Queen was visiting the new home of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery - a mounted, ceremonial unit. During the visit she watched a display of gun carriages

During the Queen's visit one toddler did his best to upstage the monarch by rolling around on the floor crying when his mother was introduced to the head of state.
Ethan Pagan-Skelley, 18 months old, dressed in a tiny suit complete with shirt and tie, threw a tantrum soon after the Queen arrived at George VI Lines, home of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
His father Sergeant Peter Pagan-Skelley serves with the prestigious regiment and was in another part of the base but the infant's mother Emma carried on chatting to the Queen as her son played up.
After meeting the monarch in the gun store, where the regiments First World War guns are kept, the mother said: 'The Queen said "he's a troublesome one" but it was lovely to meet her.'
The toddler's grandmother Annette Skelley added: 'He was quiet all morning but when the Queen arrived he started crying, maybe it was the occasion that got to him.'

Fellow soldiers went to the scene to pay their own tribute. Members of 14 Regiment Royal Artillery left a card that said he is 'lost but not forgotten'.
One fellow soldier described him as 'a true hero' who had 'paid the ultimate price'.
Detectives investigating the murder of soldier Lee Rigby have arrested a man on suspicion of being involved in supplying illegal firearms.
The 42-year-old was held in north London this morning and is currently being questioned at a police station in south London, Scotland Yard said.
Searches are also being carried out at homes in north and east London as part of the ongoing investigation into Drummer Rigby's death.
Southwark Coroner’s Court heard brief details of the circumstances surrounding Drummer Rigby’s murder last week as the inquest into his death was opened and adjourned.
The court heard that the Manchester-born soldier was killed as he returned to his barracks in Woolwich, south east London, on May 22.

The court heard that 25-year-old Drummer Rigby was identified by a dental expert.
A post-mortem examination has already found that he died from multiple cut and stab wounds.
Adjourning the inquest to a date to be fixed, deputy coroner Lorna Tagliavini said: 'I would like to take this opportunity to give my personal condolences to all members of Lee Rigby’s family for their very sad loss.'
Mr Mallon told the court that Drummer Rigby had been working at the Tower of London on the day he died.
He said Drummer Rigby suffered 'extensive and serious injuries', and investigations into his murder are continuing.
None of the father of one’s family was in court for the brief hearing.
Additional security guards were on duty at Southwark Coroner’s Court this morning. The inquest was adjourned to a date to be confirmed. Drummer Rigby, known affectionately to his mated as ‘Riggers’, was a member of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and had served a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Members of the 14th Regiment Royal Artillery visit the site where soldier Lee Rigby was murdered outside the Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich

Army cadet Gunner Liarna Nicholas from the Royal Artillery lays flowers close to the scene where drummer Lee Rigby died

Michael Adebowale, 22, from Greenwich, south east London, yesterday appeared in court charged with Lee Rigby’s murder.
Michael Adebolajo, 28, the second suspect in the Woolwich case, remains under arrest in hospital.
Ten people have been arrested as part of the investigation into the soldier’s killing.
The soldiers from the King's Troop are fighting servicemen and the monarch was due to present two Afghanistan medals and meet families of the unit's service personnel.
The soldier's family today said he would not have wanted people to use his name as an excuse to attack others.
In a tribute issued through the Ministry of Defence, Drummer Rigby’s family said the 25-year-old’s death had had a devastating effect on them, but said they were amazed by the worldwide support they had received.

The court heard that 25-year-old Drummer Rigby was identified by a dental expert.
A post-mortem examination has already found that he died from multiple cut and stab wounds.
Adjourning the inquest to a date to be fixed, deputy coroner Lorna Tagliavini said: 'I would like to take this opportunity to give my personal condolences to all members of Lee Rigby’s family for their very sad loss.'
Mr Mallon told the court that Drummer Rigby had been working at the Tower of London on the day he died.
He said Drummer Rigby suffered 'extensive and serious injuries', and investigations into his murder are continuing.
None of the father of one’s family was in court for the brief hearing.
Additional security guards were on duty at Southwark Coroner’s Court this morning. The inquest was adjourned to a date to be confirmed. Drummer Rigby, known affectionately to his mated as ‘Riggers’, was a member of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and had served a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Members of the 14th Regiment Royal Artillery visit the site where soldier Lee Rigby was murdered outside the Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich

Army cadet Gunner Liarna Nicholas from the Royal Artillery lays flowers close to the scene where drummer Lee Rigby died

Michael Adebowale, 22, from Greenwich, south east London, yesterday appeared in court charged with Lee Rigby’s murder.
Michael Adebolajo, 28, the second suspect in the Woolwich case, remains under arrest in hospital.
Ten people have been arrested as part of the investigation into the soldier’s killing.
The soldiers from the King's Troop are fighting servicemen and the monarch was due to present two Afghanistan medals and meet families of the unit's service personnel.
The soldier's family today said he would not have wanted people to use his name as an excuse to attack others.
In a tribute issued through the Ministry of Defence, Drummer Rigby’s family said the 25-year-old’s death had had a devastating effect on them, but said they were amazed by the worldwide support they had received.

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