Queen and Anna Wintour in London Fashion Week front row

The Queen has appeared in the famous front row at London Fashion Week for the first time.

Wearing a duck egg blue dress and jacket, she sat alongside Dame Anna Wintour, Vogue's editor-in-chief.

They watched the show of designer Richard Quinn, who the Queen then awarded the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.

Announcing Quinn's success, she described the award as her "legacy" to British fashion.

Mr Quinn won the award for his use of bold prints.

The Queen thanked the British Fashion Council for choosing the winner.

Speaking from the runway at the end of the show, she said: "Our fashion industry has been renowned for outstanding craftsmanship for many years, and continues to produce world-class textiles and cutting edge, practical designs."

The award was created to recognise the fashion industry's contribution to society and diplomacy.

It will be awarded annually to an emerging British designer for exceptional talent and originality.

Ms Kelly, a personal adviser to the Queen, has been designing the award for the last two years. It was hand-produced by Birmingham-based Lucy Price.

The BFC's chief executive, Caroline Rush, welcomed the Queen to the show, saying it was a "true honour" to have her attend.

"Throughout your reign you have embraced fashion, using its power of diplomacy to communicate understanding between cultures and nations," she said as she addressed the monarch and the audience.

"Having visited the exhibition of your wardrobe at Buckingham Palace, we learnt that you had to challenge some of the norms, some of the dress codes that had been designed for men, making us in awe of how you have reflected the changes in our society." she added

She said the Queen had "worked with incredible designers" and "highlighted great crafts" - and deemed her a "fashion icon".