Around 100 were waiting in the freezing drizzle to greet the monarch as she attended Sunday morning service at St Mary's Church, Flitcham.
Wearing a matching purple hat and coat the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, sheltered under an umbrella as she walked from her Range Rover to the church.
They were joined by David Armstrong-Jones, 55, the second Earl of Snowdon, who is the son of the late Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon, who died on Friday aged 86.
After the 45-minute service, conducted by the Rt Rev Paul Williams, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, the Queen greeted veteran Royal watcher Mary Relph from Shouldham, near Downham Market.
'She said good morning and gave me a lovely smile,' said Mrs Relph, 82. 'She was looking good, it's a pity the weather wasn't better for her.' Fellow Royal watcher Alan Mowton, 53, from Fossdyke, Lincs, said he was pleased to see the Queen, who had been kept indoors with a cold over Christmas.
'We were concerned but not unduly,' he said. 'I'm so pleased to see her out and about again.'
After leaving church, the Queen and Duke visited Sally Stanton and her family, who live in a cottage next door to St Mary's.
The Royals spent just over half an hour at the house, before returning to their Range Rover for the short drive back to Sandringham House.
After they had left, family members said it had been a private visit.
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