A SCHOOL which was part of an award winning royal photo taken by The Observer has received a framed copy of the snap from us as a gift.  

Our chief photographer Mike Swift beat photographers from regional newspapers across the country to win the News Media Association’s (NMA) Royal Rota Photography Competition.

The picture, voted for by the public and then selected by judges, was taken of the Queen during her visit to Slough Railway Station on June 13 as she met children from St Mary’s CofE Primary School. She later boarded a train to London Paddington.

The photo shows Her Majesty speaking to Indira Jha, 45, teaching assistant at the school in Yew Tree Road, Slough.

On Thursday Mike visited the school to present Mrs Jha and the schoolkids in the photo with a framed copy as a way of saying thanks.

She was gobsmacked when she found out the photo had won an award.

Mrs Jha said: “It's such a lovely thing to happen.

"On the day I was surprised that Her Majesty came and talked to me - it was really really nice. I really enjoyed my day.”

She said that at the moment the photo was taken the Queen had actually complemented her on her clothes.

Mrs Jha said: “Her Majesty said I had a beautiful dress and I was really surprised and I was so moved, I felt like a special person.”

One of the pupils featured in the winning photo was David Sijaola, ten, from Slough. He added: “The day was fascinating.”

All of St Mary’s pupils attended the day alongside two other Slough schools.

Her Majesty was actually recreating a famous trip taken by her great, great grandmother, Queen Victoria on the same day in 1842.