R-R gets high praise as the Queen hails firm's 'fantastic' aero engines

DERBY aero-engine-maker Rolls-Royce has been given right royal approval.

The Queen described the company's engines as "fantastic", according to Willie Walsh, the chief executive of British Airways.

Mr Walsh repeated the quote in an interview for the December issue of Reader's Digest.

The article, written by editor-in-chief Sarah Sands, discusses the noise of aircraft in Twickenham, south-west London, where Mr Walsh lives.

Asked whether or not the Queen has mentioned the noise to him, Mr Walsh said: "Last time I met her (the Queen) we were talking about the new A380 airbus.

"She said she had seen it flying into Heathrow. I said: 'It's very quiet, isn't it?

"She replied: 'Yes, it's got those fantastic Rolls-Royce engines'."

A spokeswoman for Rolls-Royce said: "If it is a genuine quote, we are really pleased to hear that as a company.

"It is good for us because you can't get praise from a higher source."