The Queen fits in a visit to Princess Eugenie

Nov 7 2009 The Journal

THE Queen met up with granddaughter Princess Eugenie yesterday as she completed a short tour of the North East.

Accompanied by Prince Philip, the Queen met Princess Eugenie – who is studying at Newcastle University – at the Great North Museum in Newcastle, which the Queen officially opened.

The Royal party was given a reception and lunch at the £26m museum, which has attracted more than 500,000 visitors since it opened five months ago.

They walked through the museum’s Living Planet exhibition, which features fossils and models of giant fish, as well as scores of stuffed animals.

Earlier the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh started a day-long tour of the North East by opening the new Washington School on a site which has been used for almost 100 years for education.

Wearing a light cerise coat by designer Stewart Parvin with matching hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan, the Queen watched as children baked cakes. She then looked on as others took a computer technology class.

The school was designed in consultation with pupils, who even had a say in which firm provided their catering.

Food technology teacher Iris Dolan said afterwards: “I wanted to enjoy it today and obviously the children have too.”

Hundreds of people lined the Northumberland Street to see the Royal couple as they did a walkabout meeting wellwishers, who presented the Queen with bunches of flowers.

The Queen and Philip then made a short journey by car to Newcastle’s city library, where they met staff, local primary school pupils, a reading group and girl guides.

During the tour the Royal couple met representatives of customer focus groups and staff who have been involved in the development of the library, which the Queen officially opened.

Mike Cookson, the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, said: “This is a tremendous honour for the city to have the Queen and His Royal Highness officially open Newcastle’s new City Library.

“Since it opened earlier this year the building has been well received by the people of Newcastle and our visitors with its excellent facilities.”

This is a tremendous honour for the city to have the Queen and His Royal Highness