IT was the royal seal of approval they had all been waiting for.

Volunteers and fundraisers rolled out the red carpet for Prince Edward as they celebrated the opening of “The Hilt” Community Centre in Hiltingbury.

Hundreds of children from nearby Hiltingbury Infant and Junior Schools lined the driveway, cheering and waving flags as The Earl of Wessex arrived at the wheel of a black Land Rover Discovery.

He chatted with mums and dads outside the centre before young trumpet players from Thornden School performed a fanfare to mark his arrival.

The Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Dame Mary Fagan, accompanied the royal on a guided tour of the new £1.2m facilities, off Hiltingbury Road.

It is now used by a resident playgroup, youth clubs and community groups and also hosts film nights, fitness classes and theatre productions.

Unveiling a plaque Prince Edward praised the “fantastic work” carried out by the many volunteers who made the completion of the project possible.

Hiltingbury Community Ass-ociation chairman Richard Lansdowne said The Hilt was the realisation of ten years of work.

“I thank everyone involved, those who gave their incredibly precious time and those who enabled it with funding,” he said.