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LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s Queen Elizabeth handed out leeks on Friday to Welsh soldiers at Lucknow Barracks in the southwest English county of Wiltshire to mark St David’s Day, which fell on Wednesday.

The 90-year-old monarch addressed the soldiers of The Royal Welsh, a lead infantry regiment of the British Army, and inspected their parade, which included a regimental goat, before handing out the vegetables and a traditional Welsh badge.

According to legend, Saint David, the patron saint of Wales whose feast day is celebrated on March 1, advised Welsh soldiers to identify themselves by wearing leeks in a battle fought against the Saxons in a leek field.

Queen Elizabeth is Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Welsh, who were formed on St David’s Day in 2006 following the restructuring of former regiments, the Royal Welch Fusiliers and the Royal Regiment of Wales.