THE Queen will visit Chester in May as part of her diamond jubilee tour of the UK.

Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen will be in the city on Wednesday, May 16, or Thursday, May 17, to express her thanks to the city’s people for their continued support and loyalty during her 60 years on the throne.

Cheshire West and Chester Council leader Mike Jones said: “We are, of course, delighted that the Queen has chosen to visit Chester during her jubilee year and look forward to hearing details of that visit.

“I am sure that Chester will accord her a right royal welcome.”

The royal UK tour began last Thursday (March 8) in Leicester, where the Queen and Prince Philip were joined by the Duchess of Cambridge.

Speaking on behalf of the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, David Briggs, who has overall responsibility for royal visits to the county, Robin Roberts said: “As far as we are concerned the Leicester visit was a one-off. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are visiting Chester.”

Although details of the visit have not yet been finalised there is every chance she will come face to face with a 14ft version of herself.

Chairman of Chester the Giant City and deputy lieutenant of Cheshire David Pickering said: “We are delighted that our Queen Elizabeth giants will be visible during this very important visit to Chester.

“The opportunity for the many companies and committees who have built these giants as a tribute to our monarch to see her first hand, is something of which we are very proud.”

The creative team at Chester the Giant City are busy putting the finishing touches to two giants of Queen Elizabeth, which have been invited to attend a Buckingham Palace garden party later the same month.

The Queen last visited Chester in June 2010 when she presented campaign medals to soldiers from the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh on their return from operations in Afghanistan.

She was also in Chester seven years previously at the wedding of Tamara Grosvenor, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster, to Edward van Cutsem at Chester Cathedral.

The Queen’s two-day jubilee visit to the North West will include Burnley, Accrington, Warrington and Liverpool as well as Chester.

The tour will finish on July 25 in the south of England.