The Queen met Karina Nierva, team manager for bureau de change company Travelex, during the visit.

Karina, 44, from Hayes, was among a small handful of people selected to meet Her Majesty, out of over 1,000 who attended the ceremony and were involved either in the construction of the building or are part of the team now working at the new Terminal.

Karina, of Hunters Grove, second from right , has worked at Heathrow for the past six years, based in Terminal 4 and Terminal 1 before being relocated to the new Terminal 2.

She completed her Team Leader apprenticeship course, level two, last year, through the Heathrow Academy, which provides staff with apprenticeships, and trains unemployed local people before they are taken on at the airport.

Mother of three, Karina said: “I was so shaky when I was shaking hands with The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

“My knees were shaking too.

“It was a once in a lifetime experience, to finally meet The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and shake their hands - how privileged I was.

“I was chosen because I did an apprenticeship at Heathrow Academy in team leading management and my name was put forward as well as Tamas Szabo (shift leader at JD Wetherspoon).

“We were introduced by Heston Blumenthal and Karima (Heathrow Retail Academy manager).

“(The Queen) was asking what apprenticeship I did, so I said I did team leading management last year and it really did help me.

“She also asked if the staff here were based locally - so did the Duke of Edinburgh.

“My family and friends were very jealous too.”

The Queen opens Terminal 2 The Queen's Terminal, Heathrow. Mayor of Hillingdon Cllr Catherine Dann meets The Queen.