The Queen shows support for Ukraine as she hosts Justin Trudeau

The Queen has held her first in-person engagement since catching Covid, showing her support for the people of Ukraine as she meets with Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister .

The Queen, who dispensed with her walking stick, was photographed with Mr Trudeau with a large arrangement of striking blue and yellow flowers in between them.

The colours of the Ukrainian flag were seen prominently at the centre of the pictures, taken at an unusual angle in the Oak Room at Windsor to ensure they can be seen by the watching world.

Neither the Queen, who is 95, nor the prime minister wore a mask during the audience, in common with other recent engagements for Her Majesty.

Mr Trudeau is in Britain for talks on the war in Ukraine with Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, and Mark Rutte, his Dutch counterpart .

The Queen has made a “generous” private donation to help Ukrainian refugees fleeing war, while members of her family have spoken directly about their support.

Prince Charles condemned the “brutal” actions of Russian forces, saying he had been “deeply moved” by the “extraordinary bravery, generosity and fortitude of the Ukrainian community in the face of such truly terrible aggression”.

On Monday, the Queen, who is also the Queen of Canada, was pictured in a patterned dress, standing and smiling warmly at Mr Trudeau as he held her right hand in both of his.

Mr Trudeau was also seen laughing as the Queen gestured towards herself during the meeting in the Oak Room sitting room.

Asked about his audience with the Queen, Mr Trudeau said: “I was able to talk about the situations we are facing and draw on her long experience from having seen so much over these past decades.”

He also congratulated her on reaching the milestone of her Platinum Jubilee.

The pair have enjoyed a warm relationship, and in 2015 the Queen made Commonwealth leaders laugh during a visit to Malta by publicly telling the prime minister: “Thanks for making me feel so old.”

The head of state was not pictured with the walking stick she has been using of late.

Asked about the Queen's health at a press conference, Mr Trudeau said: “I have had the privilege of knowing Her Majesty for about 45 years now, and I can tell you that in my meeting with her this morning, she was as insightful and perspicacious as ever. We had a really useful conversation about global events, as we always do.”

Canada, a Commonwealth realm, has been the Queen's most frequent overseas destination.

She has visited more than 20 times, including a trip as a princess, but a number of years ago she called time on her official overseas visits.

As a young child in the 1970s, Mr Trudeau met the Queen several times through his father, Pierre Trudeau, who was one of Canada’s longest-serving prime ministers.

The Queen tested positive for Covid on February 20 and has spent the last two weeks carrying out only light duties including a handful of virtual audiences.

Last Tuesday, the Prince of Wales said his mother was “a lot better now”, and the head of state was pictured holding her first virtual audiences since her coronavirus diagnosis.

The Queen has two high-profile events coming up – the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 14, and then the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service, also at the Abbey, on March 29.

The nation’s longest reigning monarch, who reached her Platinum Jubilee milestone last month, recently spent more than three months resting, on doctors’ orders.

Last autumn she pulled out of attending the Cop26 climate change summit, the Festival of Remembrance and then the Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph service due to a sprained back.

She also missed the Church of England’s General Synod.

The Queen now regularly uses a walking stick and has been pictured looking frailer recently.

She remarked during a Windsor Castle audience last month: “Well, as you can see, I can’t move.”

Mr Trudeau is joining Mr Johnson as part of intense diplomatic efforts with foreign leaders to build a united front against Vladimir Putin.