Queen attends lunchtime concert amid fallout of Andrew’s arrest

The Queen carried out her duties as planned on Thursday in the wake of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, watching a lunchtime concert in Westminster.

While the Queen enjoyed orchestral performances and met musicians at Sinfonia Smith Square Hall, the King issued a statement promising his family will continue to carry out their “duty and service” to the public.

Just hours before Camilla’s arrival at the central London concert hall, police confirmed the former prince had been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The Queen, who attended the performance as patron of Sinfonia Smith Square, an organisation which aims to improve the accessibility of music, was met with applause as she took her seat to watch the concert.

Wearing a navy velvet coat, she joined the rest of the audience as they were encouraged to clap their hands and stamp their feet along to the music.

While she watched the concert, the King issued a statement in which he expressed his “deepest concern” over the news of his brother’s arrest, adding “the law must take its course”.

After the performances, the Queen appeared cheerful as she greeted the musicians, describing the venue as a “wonderful place”.

As she climbed into a waiting car to leave the event, Camilla was asked “are you concerned about Andrew’s arrest, your majesty?” The Queen waved to cameras but did not respond.

During her visit, Camilla viewed several before-and-after photographs taken throughout the hall’s near 300-year history, including of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst’s 1928 funeral, and of the bombed-out building left in ruins by the Blitz in 1941.

“It’s such a fantastic place,” the Queen said, adding: “So special.”

Sinfonia Smith Square Hall aims to give transformational orchestral experiences to early-career musicians through its annual fellowship programme, which invites 34 of the world’s most promising young players to form an orchestra.

The orchestra was later joined in concert by schoolchildren involved with the Tri-borough Music Hub, an organisation which supports the delivery of music education in more than one hundred schools across west London.

Taonga Mphande, 14, who performed with the group, said he did not know the Queen would be in attendance and was surprised to see her there.

He said: “I was actually quite shocked because I didn’t know she was going to be there, I didn’t realise I was performing in front of her… it was quite a surprise.

“It was a really great experience, getting to perform in front of the Queen.

“You don’t get to do that every day.”

Later on Thursday, the King opened London Fashion Week at the British Fashion Council near the Strand, and was greeted by cries of “ohh” from members of public lining the streets as he stepped out of the car.