THE Queen has been invited to open a £20 million Scouting centre in Kent in her Jubilee year. She is understood to be considering a request to visit to Chatham next spring to open Buckmore Park.

If she agrees, it would be the first royal visit to the new Scouting, sports, karting and conference complex. The late Princess Diana and her sons Princes William and Harry were occasional visitors to the old Buckmore Park and its popular karting circuit.

Buckingham Palace said it could neither confirm nor deny the invitation. Officials are known to be concerned about releasing too many advance details about the Queen's proposed engagements in view of the heightened security situation following the terrorist attacks in the United States.

It is understood that Lord Kingsdown, who steps down as Lord Lieutenant of Kent next year, is a park supporter and has asked the Palace to consider including the official opening in what promises to be a busy Jubilee year schedule.

Cecil Whitehead, who has run Buckmore Park for more than 50 years, said he was hopeful that the Queen would perform the official opening. He said: "It would be a very great honour for Scouting if she could come here, or anybody else from the Royal Family, but at the moment I have no indication that it is on or not on the agenda. "