Queen meets the maimed hero she once danced with at Balmoral during visit to centre that helps injured servicemen Guardsman Dave Watson lost both legs and an arm in Afghanistan He once danced arm-in-arm with the Queen when based at Balmoral Reunited as Her Majesty visits military recovery centre in Surrey Last time Guardsman Dave Watson met the Queen, he had the honour of dancing with her at Balmoral. Yesterday he was reunited with his monarch - but his life has now changed unimaginably. In May 2010, both his legs and an arm were blown off by an improvised explosive device while he was on foot patrol in Afghanistan. Shown round: The Queen with an Army officer after meeting Guardsman Dave Watson, right This is how it works: Dave Watson demonstrates rehab equipment to the Duke Doctors did not expect him to survive, and his heart stopped twice on the emergency flight home. But the 26-year-old fought back and yesterday the Queen recognised him when she and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Headley Court, the military recovery centre in Surrey. Guardsman Watson explained that as part of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards he was based at Balmoral, the Queen's estate in Scotland, for three months. He said: "I used to speak to her every day. She used to come and say "How are you?" I even danced arm-in-arm with her at the Ghillies" Ball. She comes around every day to see what's going on and so does Prince Philip. The Queen enjoys Scottish country dancing and hosts dances known as Ghillies" Balls for neighbours, estate staff and members of the community. Guardsman Watson, from Preston, who has been medically discharged from the Army, is at Headley Court to have new limbs fitted. After meeting the Queen during her tour of the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Unit, he said: "It means an awful lot, not just to me, but the rest of the lads." Last year he carried the Olympic torch when the relay passed through Blackpool. He also hopes to win a place in the 2016 Paralympic squad throwing the discus and javelin. Guardsman Watson, left, said that he used to see the Queen every day when he based at her estate in Balmoral Guardsman Watson said the visit from The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh 'means an awful lot' The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were visiting Headley Court, the military recovery centre in Surrey Captain Nick Beighton, 31, from the Corps of Royal Engineers, spoke to Prince Philip in the centre's gym. The officer, from Shrewsbury, lost his legs in Afghanistan in 2009 but competed in last year's Paralympics, narrowly missing out on a rowing bronze in the double sculls. He said: "It's a real honour to host the Queen here. She's our monarch and we all fight in the armed forces under her banner. It's great that she's supporting all the work the staff do. The Queen opened the centre's refurbished Peter Long unit, named after a Headley Court consultant who died in 2001. During the visit Prince Philip made a group of white-clad nurses laugh by saying: "You're a great advert for Persil!"