London: Queen Elizabeth has invited Indian-origin structural engineer who helped build Europe's tallest building, the Shard in London, to the Buckingham Palace. She will join a group of other female engineers at a reception being hosted by the Queen to encourage more women to take up the profession.
"We need to break the stereotype of an engineer and show young girls it's a fun career," Agrawal said about the event. The palace has also released a photograph of the then Princess Elizabeth as a driver and mechanic in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II. An official said, as a young woman serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the Queen learnt vehicle maintenance skills that have stayed with her to this day.
"She got her hands dirty, enjoyed it and would encourage young people today to have the same experience. And at a time when there is a big industry push for more girls to become involved in engineering, the Queen would wholeheartedly support that. It's no coincidence that some brilliant and inspiring young female engineers will be coming to the reception," he said.
The Queen's support comes as a report published this week is expected to reveal that Britain lags behind other nations in the status it gives to the profession.
