THE “precious” bond between the royal family and a County Durham museum was reinforced today as it welcomed a princess for a special tour.

Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra – a first cousin of the Queen – requested a visit to The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, while in the region.

And after her helicopter landed in the grounds of neighbouring Barnard Castle School, the 80-year-old made the short drive to the museum where the Royal Standard was raised in her honour.

Escorted by the Lord Lieutenant of Durham, Sue Snowdon, the princess was met by members of 4th Barnard Castle Brownies and local dignitaries including High Sheriff of County Durham and museum trustee, Caroline Peacock, mayor of Barnard Castle, Sandra Moorhouse and chief executive of the museum Adrian Jenkins, along with representatives from Durham County Council.

The princess was given a private tour of the museum’s galleries, including those dedicated to founders John and Joséphine Bowes, fashion and textiles, ceramics and paintings.

She was also given a brief introduction to an important new acquisition, St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child, by Dutch artist Dieric Bouts, and the museum’s 15th Century Flemish altarpiece, conserved as a result of donations to an online crowd-funding campaign which brought in £21,163 from donors in just 60 days.

The princess then viewed a performance of the iconic Silver Swan musical automaton – the same spectacle The Queen Mother also watched in 1956.

The museum’s connection with the royal family goes back to The Queen Mother, who belonged to the Bowes-Lyon family and was a descendent of the museum’s founder, John Bowes.

Noting the connection before Princess Alexandra unveiled a plaque to mark her visit, the museum’s chairman of trustees, Sir Mark Wrightson, said: “The history between the Bowes and the royal family is long-lasting and it’s very close.”

He added: “The Queen mum was a very staunch supporter of the museum; she was patron of the friends for many years and put on a number of exhibitions and I hope in having had a brief time here that you [Princess Alexandra] will come back and that the relationship and the links between the museum and the royal family will continue.”

The princess was also presented with a bouquet of flowers and a silver swan broach by brownies Willow Moore, nine, and Chloe Dykes, eight.

The brownies – who were accompanied by leader Gillian Wood and Mary Ashburner, of the Teesdale Trefoil Guild - said they had all been very excited and happy to meet the princess.

Mrs Wood said: “We were honoured to be asked to perform the guide of honour and we have had a really good turn-out considering it is half-term. It’s all quite exciting.”

Mrs Ashburner added: “I shook hands with Prince Edward when he visited and my two daughters met the Queen Mother when she came in the 80s – it’s such a lovely place to be.”

Mrs Peacock said: “It was an enormous pleasure to meet Her Royal Highness and the link between the royal family and The Bowes Museum is enormously valued – it’s something that is very precious to us.”