Her Majesty the Queen surprised passengers Thursday morning when she boarded a public train at King’s Cross going to Sandringham, her Norfolk estate, where she will be spending Christmas with her family.

Around 10:45 a.m. on Thursday passengers could not believe their eyes when the Queen, dressed in a headscarf with her handbag in one hand and flowers in the other, boarded the First Capital Connect service to King’s Lynn.

With a few attendants by her side, the monarch sat at the rear of the train in an eight-seat section of a carriage which was separated from the rest of the seats by a sliding glass door.

According to reports, as the train pulled out of the station, the eighty-three year old woman, who seemed relaxed, looked at the scenery and chatted with her aides.

First class passengers who tried to sit in the same car as the Queen were told by four plain clothes royal guards to sit in another section of the train.

Almost two hours after boarding the train Her Majesty arrived at King’s Lynn where she was met by a Range Rover that took her to her estate.

Other than extra police officers and giving the Queen a private car, a spokesperson for First Capital Connect said the Queen was not given any special treatment and she purchased her ticket before boarding the train.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said “Members of the Royal Family, including the Queen frequently use public train services.

The Queen of course, has the Royal Train which costs British taxpayers about $65,000 each time she uses it.