DMU's proudest day to be replayed on ITV this Easter as it celebrates "Our Queen at 90"

Footage of Her Majesty The Queen’s Royal Visit to De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) is to be shown to an audience of millions on Easter Sunday as ITV celebrates “Our Queen at Ninety”.

DMU was chosen as the first location in the UK that The Queen visited as part of her Diamond Jubilee tour, in March 2012, and it was also the first official visit that the Duchess of Cambridge made without her husband Prince William, who was on a tour of duty in The Falklands.

During the documentary, The Duchess of Cambridge recalls how her trip to Leicester, which was also attended by The Duke of Edinburgh, was her “most memorable engagement”.

As The Duchess of Cambridge fondly recalls the trip, the documentary shows The Royal Party being greeted by DMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dominic Shellard and attending a fashion show organised by DMU students, graduates and staff. Viewers will also see The Queen unveiling a commemorative plaque on the Hugh Aston building.

The DMU Royal Visit was a huge event for the UK and Commonwealth with pictures and footage viewed around the globe.

The Duchess of Cambridge says: “The most memorable engagement for me was an away day to Leicester.

“I went without William and was rather apprehensive about it. There is an art to walkabouts. Everyone teases me in the family that I spend far too long chatting so I have still to learn a bit more and pick up a few tips I suppose.

“She (The Queen) was very supportive and she took the time to make sure I was happy and looked after for that particular occasion…which just shows how caring she is.”

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The Diamond Jubilee visit to DMU is still fondly remembered by everyone who attended and has gone down as one of the proudest days in the university’s history.

Many students and staff started arriving at DMU at 4am that day to ensure they got the best views of the event.

By the time Her Majesty arrived there were several thousand people who let out a huge cheer as she arrived through The Magazine archway. The Duchess of Cambridge was visibly taken aback by the noise and size of the crowd.

A celebration of Leicester and DMU’s multi-cultural population followed, with colourful demonstrations of Indian and Chinese dancing. Her Majesty and Her Royal Highness were then escorted to the fashion show, featuring stunning creations by DMU’s fashion graduates. The Duke of Edinburgh, meanwhile, was given a demonstration on several projects that form part of the ground-breaking Square Mile project.

The Hugh Aston atrium was turned into a celebration of the best DMU research and student work. The Royal Party was also shown six prototype designs for a shoe for the Duchess of Cambridge, in addition to a pair of shoes that were made in Leicester for The Queen’s grandmother more than a century ago.

The Royal Party was presented with gifts including a unique headscarf and shawl for Her Majesty, as well as a framed portrait of a corgi by ten-year-old artist Chelsie White. Her Royal Highness received posies from local children, and His Royal Highness received a specially created 3D lenticular image by DMU’s Professor Martin Richardson.

Before departing, each of the Royal Guests was invited to sign the university’s visitors’ book before Her Majesty unveiled a plaque to commemorate the visit that was forged at a family-owned foundry in Leicestershire.

Told in the words of those closest to her “Our Queen at Ninety” features interviews with family members about what the 89-year-old is really like as well as showing behind the scenes footage of her life, while homage is paid to her many years at the helm of the Royal Family.

The two hour documentary will be shown on ITV on Easter Sunday, 27 March, at 8pm. The Queen celebrates her 90^th birthday on Thursday 21 April.