The Queen arrives at Atlantic College near Llantwit Major [WALES NEWS SERVICE]Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, she visited UWC Atlantic College near Llantwit Major, in the Vale of Glamorgan.
After being entertained by an a cappella choir, the pair were shown around the college by Tomas Alvarez, a student whose family's escape from the 2004 tsunami was the inspiration for the 2012 film The Impossible, starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts.
Mr Alvarez said: "I became a lifeguard because of what happened to my family in the 2004 tsunami. We were incredibly lucky to survive, especially my mother who had to undergo 14 operations.
"If it wasn't for the people who helped us, I don't know if we would have survived. So I decided to become a lifeguard to give something back.
"Getting to show the Queen around the college was an incredible honour.
"She is very different from the person you see in the media.
"She asked a lot of questions from the students here and was really interested in what we do."
The Queen met Tomas Alvarez while at the international sixth form college [WALES NEWS SERVICE]
Mr Alvarez's story was made into the blockbuster The Impossible [SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT]She asked a lot of questions from the students here and was really interested in what we do
The residential sixth form college, which was founded in 1962, is home to around 350 students from over 90 different nations.
In addition to the International Baccalaureate curriculum, the college also emphasises student participation in the local community and counts the Queen as one of its honorary presidents.
Earlier, Her Majesty visited the UK base of stationery company International Greetings in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly.
Together with Prince Philip, she was shown several processes carried out by the firm, which makes gift packaging, greetings cards as well as stationery products, on the Penallta Industrial Estate, Caerphilly.
Around 400 members of staff at the company makes various products including Christmas crackers which have a Royal warrant and are used by the monarch over the festive season.
The monarch is greeted by crowds at International Greetings in Ystrad Mynach [PA]School children from a local primary school greeted the pair with flags and flowers, and she met with Wales' First Minister Carwyn Jones.
The Queen was also busy yesterday attending five separate engagements.
A highlight for the 88-year-old monarch, who is passionate about horses, was yesterday's visit to Cotts Equine Hospital in Narbeth, Pembrokeshire, where she checked up on the progress of racehorse Tea For Three.
The horse was recuperating after he took a tumble in the Grand National in April.
He certainly seemed to be racing to recovery as he took to chance to try to have a cheeky nibble of the Queen's coat.
Her Majesty beamed as she was given a tour around the equine operating theatres and shown a video of a surgical procedure.
She and 92-year-old Prince Philip also unveiled a plaque for the opening of a heritage park at Pembroke Dock to mark its bicentennial, watched by large crowds.
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