The Queen and Prince Philip met injured soldiers at the country's largest rehabilitation centre today when they opened a new unit for soldiers who have suffered brain injuries. 

The monarch, dressed all in white, opened the Peter Long Unit at Headley Court, near Leatherhead. 

The unit is an in-patient care facility for patients with neurological conditions, which has been refurbished in the last year, thanks to a £5million grant from the Ministry of Defence.

After being welcomed by the Lord Lieutenant for Surrey, the Queen and Prince Philip walked with Headley Court's commanding officer Clare Walton and were taken on a tour of the rehabilitation facilities, visiting a gym and meeting staff and patients.

A hydrotherapy pool was the next stop before the Peter Long Unit, and the royal couple also met personnel involved in horticultural therapy in the centre's grounds.

Occupational therapist Kim Stickney said the Queen's visit "boosts morale" and helped showcase what is happening at Headley Court.

Her colleague Maxine Cozens added: "It means a great deal. Headley Court gets a lot of attention but it’s nice to have someone special like the Queen here.

"She can understand what we do and the journey the patients go through."

Kingsman Jack Plant, of the Duke of Lancaster Regiment, who was injured in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2010 and has been treated at Headley Court since, was excited by his first glimpse of the Queen.

He said: "It felt amazing to have her support, to have the support of the whole country."

Four-year-old Sophie Howley and her eight-year-old sister Chloe, relatives of a member of staff, presented the Queen with flowers during her walk of the grounds - for which they had practised curtsying countless times, according to their mother Claire, who said it was a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for the girls.

The royal party had a lunch, which included piegon and beetroot, at the officers’ mess, before leaving Headley Court.