THE Duchess of Cornwall will officially open the £7.2m Winchester Discovery Centre later this month.

The revamped Jewry Street library has been open to the public since last November when Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber and Mayor of Winchester Chris Pines did the honours.

But in a second ceremony on Thursday, February 21, the duchess will unveil a commemorative plaque followed by a tour of the listed former Corn Exchange building which has been restored and extended by county council architects.

The building now hosts the combined lending and reference libraries previously split between two sites, a performance hall, gallery and exhibition space.

The royal tour will include the Alfred the Great: Warfare, Wealth and Wisdom' exhibition, featuring ancient artefacts never before seen together.

This will be the first official visit to Winchester by the Duchess since her marriage to the Prince of Wales, though not Hampshire as she has already been to Southampton.

A Clarence House spokesman said: "The Duchess is very much looking forward to the visit and I am sure she will be thrilled by the library."

She declined to say if the duchess was a keen reader or member of her local library.

The duchess will be accompanied by the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Mary Fagan.

Council leader Cllr Thornber said: "This will be a memorable day for the local community and staff at the discovery centre.

"I am delighted and truly honoured to be welcoming the Duchess of Cornwall to Winchester."

But not everyone is pleased. Some Lib-Dem county councillors have complained the ceremony is the same day as the crucial budget setting meeting now delayed until the afternoon and likely to stretch into the evening.

Cllr Robin Hughes, member for Andover North, said: "Since the library has been open since November it would seem the official opening is somewhat superflous.

"To have been timed to coincide with the budget meeting, in the diary for months before the centre was actually opened, beggars belief."

The library will be closed to the public until 12.30pm on February 21.