On Thursday 8 September, Buckingham Palace announced that the longest reigning monarch in British history died at Balmoral, near Aberdeen, aged 96.
Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926, the Queen came to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25. She reigned through rapidly changing times over the course of seven decades.
The University of Sheffield has long had an association with the Royal Family and over her long tenure as head of state, the Queen visited the University on two occasions.
In October 1954, the Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, paid a royal visit to inaugurate the University's Jubilee Session, a commemoration of 50 years since the signing of the University Charter.
To mark the occasion, students presented a masque, titled The Birth of Steel. This involved hundreds of participants, including a 66-strong orchestra, brass band and a choir.
The masque depicted the Queen as the goddess Minerva descending from heaven to show a medieval alchemist how to create a silver sword which led to the birth of modern steel technology, symbolising the city's renowned steel industry.
A wide range of members of the University community and its leadership were invited to attend the masque. These included present and retired staff, students, honorary graduates, and other special guests, including the Lord Mayor, the Town Clerk, and the Chief Constable.
