ROYALTY visited Hampshire this morning, to open a new unit treating Hampshire's young cancer sufferers.

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York was at the Southampton General Hospital to open the Teenage Cancer Trust's new unit.

Alongside young people who helped design the £2.4m unit, made possible through a Daily Echo backed campaign, she unveiled a commemorative plaque.

The Duchess then took a tour of the ward meeting the young people using it and posing for pictures.

She told those assembled how delighted she was o be there opening the ward, having opened the Trust's first such specialised unit years before -Southampton is the 27th such unit in the country.

She paid tribute to the youngsters behind it and reflected on her own good fortune at having two healthy young daughters.

She said: "It's very good to be here and I'm so proud to be here.

"You [the young people] are the true celebrities."

She also referred to herself as a "Hampshire girl" and jokingly referred to an incident in which she had been thrown off Southampton ice rink when she was younger during a practice session.

The Who frontman Roger Daltrey, another patron of the charity, had been due to attend but had to cancel because of illness, but sent a personal message of support as did Sir Paul McCartney, who is a friend of the Trust and performed at a series of concerts for it last year.

Based at Southampton General, the ten bed unit opened in September and is designed to have a home from home feel with a lounge, pool table, television, wifi access and a kitchen.