Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, paid a trip to her brother's former school in Hawkhurst to dedicate a new all-weather pitch in his memory.

The royal also popped in to Chapel Down winery in Tenterden while in the county, which she described as "one of the finest" vineyards she had seen.

The Duchess last visited St Ronan's School in Water Lane as a teenager in the 1960s when she competed in the sisters' race while her brother Mark Shand - who died earlier this year - was a pupil.

The pitch, which is currently being constructed, was named the Shandy-Ba in his honour, after a nickname he had while attending the school.

Pupils gathered outside the entrance to wave Union Jacks and black and white Cornish flags to welcome her.

The Duchess, accompanied by headteacher William Trelawny-Vernon, met Old Ronians, many of whom had been at the school while her brother had been a pupil.

One, Jeremy Lucas, now a governor and whose father Laddie and his two sons also attended, said: "We discussed a few reminiscences of St Ronan's in the 1960s."

Camilla also saw pupils at work during a Latin lesson and said: "I don't know how they're able to concentrate with that lovely window and that lovely beam while they are scribbling away."

She was also shown into Bears Garden, now a classroom, but which was a dormitory during her brother's time.

She said: "I remember Mark came back with a smile on his face. Most children hated going back to school. There is obviously something special about this school."

She was also shown into the chapel, where some youngsters performed music for her, before seeing the construction work on the new pitch.

Next to it was a model of an elephant, which was an animal close to her brother's heart. He founded a charity which raised millions to help Asian elephants and protect their habitat.

Mr Shand had been a school prefect in his final year at the school. Current school managers had been in discussions with him about returning for a visit, before his death in April.

The Duchess left by helicopter, watched by excited pupils in the school grounds, and headed to Tenterden for her tour of Chapel Down in Smallhythe Road.

She arrived at noon and was greeted by chief executive Frazer Thompson, Mayor of Ashford Cllr John Link and Mayor of Tenterden Cllr Jennifer Crickmore-Porter.

The visit was Camilla's first to Chapel Down Winery, and her first stop was at the vines, where vineyard manager Richard Lewis talked her through the production process.

When the Duchess arrived at the vines, she joked: "Do you expect me to pick them all?".

After cutting a couple of bunches, she added: "I could do this all afternoon".

She then went to the wine room where she started the pressing of some grapes before attending a reception, where she was presented with a posie from Phoebe Tresnan, eight, daughter of sales director Guy Tresnan.

The Duchess also received eight bottles of a special pressing of Chapel Down's sparkling wine, named Cuvee Camilla, plus a 15 litre bottle of the wine.

Camilla, the second wife of Prince Charles, became patron of the United Kingdom Vineyards Association in 2011 and is a supporter of home-grown British produce.

Mr Thompson said: "This is the icing on the cake of a fantastic year. We have had our best harvest ever and our biggest and best fundraising."

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