The Queen was visibly moved as she took on her late mother's role at the opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey.

Tears rolled down her cheeks during a minute's silence after she planted a small wooden Remembrance Cross.

The Queen stood in silence with veterans

The annual open-air service in St Margaret's churchyard, held in memory of Britain's war heroes, was rarely missed by the Queen Mother.

The emotional service followed a difficult week for the Queen after the collapse of the trial of former royal butler Paul Burrell and the publication of his memoirs in a daily newspaper.

Dressed in black, she was accompanied by Sara Jones, widow of Falklands war hero Colonel H Jones, who has been awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

	:	Veterans of Empire
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There were also prayers said for world peace at the brief ceremony, held in the presence of hundreds of war veterans.

The Queen, who rarely shows emotion, then planted her own personal Cross of Remembrance.

A field of crosses remembered the dead

Following the minute's silence, there was a walkabout around the churchyard to inspect some of the 19,000 crosses from all over the country which pay tribute to the fallen.

Only last November, the Queen Mother took part in the ceremony for the last time prior to her death in March.

Ron Wickens, 80, from Burgess Hill, Sussex, and formerly of the Royal Sussex Regiment, said: "It must have been very difficult for her, it's all memories for her. She was very brave."

Hundreds of soldiers joined the Queen

Tim Healey, 54, who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, said: "I told her how my father was in air-sea rescue and my mother was a WAAF.

"I showed her my father's medals and she wished me the best of luck."

After the walkabout, the Queen attended a short service in St Margaret's Church.