Christ Church Cathedral welcomed the Queen in 2013 when she came to Oxford to present special Maundy coins at the Royal Maundy service.
Crowds lined the streets as she arrived in the city.
“She seemed to have a smile just for me," said Marjorie Harris, after meeting the Queen at the service.
The Queen waves in the quad at Christ Church in 2013
After volunteering for her church for 60 years, Mrs Harris was one of 174 pensioners from the Oxford Diocese rewarded with purses of special Maundy coins.
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The 78-year-old from Sandford-on-Thames added: “As she gave me the coins she said ‘this is for you’ and I said ‘thank you Your Majesty’.”
The Very Rev Christopher Lewis Dean with Rt Rev John Pritchard Bishop of Oxford
In her 26th year as warden at the village’s St Andrew’s Church, Mrs Harris received the Maundy money in recognition of her service to the church and the community.
During the service, the Queen walked around the cathedral, assisted by the Yeomen of the Guard, to hand out the coins to Maundy recipients from Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.
Mrs Harris, who attended the service with her husband Dennis, 82, curtsied before accepting two purses of coins, one red and one white.
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She added: “It’s been a wonderful day and I’m going to tell people at church all about it.”
One of the purses contained a £5 and 50p coin commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation while the other contained specially minted silver coins.
The Queen with school children at the Maundy Thursday service
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived shortly before 11am, to be welcomed by the Dean of Christ Church, the Very Rev Christopher Lewis, and was introduced to the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev John Pritchard.
After the hour-long service, the Bishop said: “I think it went extremely smoothly.
Doreen Fowler from Banbury attended the Maundy Thursday service
“It was one of those splendid occasions the Church of England does so well. You have to stand for a long time in the service but the Queen did it, as you would expect, with great panache and style.”
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Lengthy preparations ensured the cathedral was looking its best.
The Queen walks to the Maundy Thursday service at Christ Church Cathedral in 2013
Glyn Wallace-Lyon, 62, from Eynsham, one of the cleaners at the cathedral, said: “The weather was nice and bright, with the sunshine streaming in through the stained glass windows.
“The guests looked very smart, especially the ladies in their hats and fascinators.”
Ann Delves, from Botley, and Anne Fearn, from Cumnor, were among a team of 12 flower arrangers who filled the cathedral with hundreds of carnations, lilies, and lisianthus.
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Mrs Delves said: “I had a few sleepless nights before the service, but everything looked wonderful.”
Sophie Cross, nine and mum Becky wait for the Queen
The Very Rev Lewis added: “It was terrific and great fun – the Queen was her normal self, which was brilliant.”
The service featured Christ Church Cathedral Choir, joined by the choir of Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal.
Donna Slack and son Alfie four months, wait for the Queen in 2013
Hymns included Love Divine, All Loves Excelling and When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.
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