by Jenni Horn

Princess Anne has given her royal seal of approval to a new £86
million college campus.

The Princess Royal visited MidKent College in Gillingham this
morning (Thursday) to officially open the Medway campus.

The inauguration ceremony saw the Princess take a tour of
building in Medway Road before meeting some of the college’s staff
and students.

She spent time in the engineering, hair and beauty and
performing arts departments.

She met engineering students working on the restoration of the
Medway Queen paddle steamer including its brass wheel. The Princess
showed a particular interest in this work and spent more than her
allotted time talking to pupils about the project.

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Video: Princess Anne
tours the new campus

In the hair and beauty department she saw students creating a
range of hair styles in the college’s salon. She also watched
holistic therapy students administering a range of treatments.

Her final department visit was to the college’s theatre, where
students staged a four-minute performance.

The event ended with the Princess unveiling a plaque in the
college pavilion.

The Medway campus was first opened to students in September
2009.

It replaced the college’s former sites at Horsted in Chatham and
City Way, Rochester.