地下鉄「エリザベス線」開通式に出席　英女王

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】英国のエリザベス女王（９６）は１７日、自身の名を冠した地下鉄「エリザベス線」の開通セレモニーに予告なしに出席した。（写真は英ロンドンのパディントン駅を訪れたエリザベス女王＜中央＞と息子のエドワード王子＜右＞）
　女王は、黄色のウールコートに花飾りの付いた帽子といういでたちで、つえを突いて会場のパディントン駅を訪問。息子のエドワード王子と一緒にエレベーターでホームに降り、ボリス・ジョンソン首相やサディク・カーンロンドン市長に迎えられた。当初はエドワード王子のみ出席予定とされていた。
　女王は最近、宮殿外ではほとんど公務を行っておらず、１０日の議会開会式も移動が困難として欠席。６月２～５日に予定されている在位７０周年の祝賀行事への出席も危ぶまれていた。
　エリザベス線は、今月２４日から一部区間で運行を開始する。２０１８年の開業予定だったが、工期の遅れや信号システムの問題で開業がずれ込んだ。
　最終的にはロンドン西郊のレディングと東郊のシェンフィールドを結び、ヒースロー空港へのアクセス路線にも直結する。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/05/18-14:49）

Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday made a surprise appearance at a new railway line named in her honour, after health issues prevented her attending recent events.
The 96-year-old monarch smiled as she visited Paddington Station in London to see the new Elizabeth line, a major new railway that is set to speed up transport links within the city and beyond.
Dressed in a yellow wool coat and hat trimmed with flowers, she took a lift down to the platform, holding a walking stick, joining her son, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, who had been announced as attending the event without her.
She was welcomed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
The monarch has rarely attended events outside her royal residences recently and she missed the ceremonial opening of parliament on May 10 for only the third time, due to ongoing mobility issues.
This has caused concern over whether she will be able to attend the main events next month for her Platinum Jubilee, marking her 70 years on the throne.
Last week, however, she attended two events near her Windsor Castle home, including an equestrian event hosted by Hollywood actors Tom Cruise and Helen Mirren that was part of the Jubilee celebrations.
The Elizabeth line is set to partially open to the public on May 24. It was originally due to open in 2018, but was hit by problems with construction and complex signalling systems.
Its opening comes before a long weekend of Platinum Jubilee celebrations from June 2 to 5.
Once completed, the line will run from Reading, around 35 miles (56 kilometres) to the west of London to Shenfield, around 21 miles to the east, with the option of stopping at Heathrow airport.
The line had been due to be completed in 2018 and its budget has spiralled to £18.9 billion (22.4 billion euros, $24 billion).
Transport for London says the new railway line with violet-coloured signage will transform travel across London and the South East.