HAMPSHIRE rolled out the red carpet as the Earl and Countess of Wessex met scores of people on a tour of the south of the county.

A private psychiatric hospital, a school, a health centre, an art gallery with a royal name and a higher education college were on the schedule for the royal couple yesterday.

They called in at the Priory Hospital, Marchwood, where they were introduced to people battling alcoholism and other illnesses.

Oliver Collins, ten, grandson of group medical director Dr Austin Tate, and Sophie Nott, daughter of Dr David Nott, the addictions treatment programme co-ordinator, greeted them.

Prince Edward, 38, joked with the two schoolchildren and asked them: "Where have you escaped from today - or are you on half-term?"

The Earl and Countess chatted to patients and staff before opening a new extension to the addictions unit.

They had begun their tour by visiting Hordle Walhampton School, near Lymington, where the theatre-loving Earl opened a performing arts centre.

They then travelled to Sea Road, Milford-on-Sea, to tour a new state-of-the-art health centre that serves 5,400 patients.

Prince Edward and Sophie, wearing a dark blue suit, then stopped off in Eastleigh to open the latest exhibition at the Beatrice Royal Contemporary Art and Craft Gallery.

It was a big moment for Anjelica Cleaver, a seven-year-old pupil at Sherbourne House School, Chandler's Ford who presented a special posy to the countess.

With the royal schedule running slightly late, Anjelica nearly missed the opportunity of crowning her day with a photo opportunity.

After performing her royal duty she was about to promptly return to the VIP line-up of guests greeting the royals.

But she was summonsed back by Sophie who said: "Don't go away.

" I am sure everyone wants a photograph of you."

So with Edward and Sophie beside her, Anjelica beamed a big smile to the battery of cameras.

After officially opening the Word and Works Christmas exhibition the Earl and Countess of Wessex spent about an hour touring the gallery.

The royal couple combined work and pleasure during a short visit to the performing arts centre at King Alfred's College in Winchester.

Prince Edward well known for his love of the theatre met students at the college's West Downs performing arts centre.

He watched a class in progress and then went over the nearby West Downs student village and met three students, Isla Rawlings, 20, Hayley Littmoden, 18, and Heather Dentoom, 18, in their flat.

The centre was opened last year by Oscar-winning producer Lord Puttnam in a £6.5m scheme to refurbish a dilapidated preparatory school.

On their arrival the couple met local dignitaries including the Mayor and Mayoress of Winchester, John and Gill Steel; the chairman of the county council, Peter Hutcheson and his wife Beverley; Daniel Hodson, the chairman of governors and Professor Christopher Turner, the academic vice principal.