Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh have passed on "sincere thanks" for their visit to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) during their Diamond Jubilee Tour.

The Royal couple officially opened the hospital on 12 July 2012 and were said to be "very grateful" for the welcome they received.

A letter from Buckingham Palace reads: “The Queen was touched to see the bust of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on display in the hospital foyer.

“Her Majesty and His Royal Highness were grateful for the thought that had been put into such an enjoyable occasion and appreciated the opportunity to meet with so many staff and patients of the hospital and the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine.”

The Queen Mum’s bust was relocated from the main entrance of the old Queen Elizabeth Hospital to the atrium of QEHB especially for the Royal visit. It will soon by complemented by a commemorative glass sculpture, by local artist Eryka Isaak, which was unveiled by the Queen during the official opening.

The letter from the Palace was sent to Dame Julie Moore, Chief Executive of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), by Doug King, Assistant Private Secretary to the Queen.