The Duchess of Rothesay presents The Princess Royal with an Honorary Degree

The Duchess of Rothesay, Chancellor of The University of Aberdeen, today presented The Princess Royal with an Honorary Degree in recognition of her contribution to public life.

The Princess Royal is involved with 300 charities in the UK and overseas and received a Doctor of Laws in a ceremony at the university's Elphinstone Hall. Around 400 guests including University alumni, staff and students attended the ceremony.

The Duchess of Rothesay said during a speech: "I am not sure if there is a collective noun for chancellors but my sister-in-law is, of course, also chancellor of another great Scottish university, the University of Edinburgh.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we shall have no talk of rivalry today.

"But I might just casually observe that, while we are to celebrate our 525th birthday next month, the University of Edinburgh is comparatively youthful - a mere 437-years-old."

The Duchess of Rothesay also conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science upon Professor Janet Darbyshire for the impact she has made in clinical science over the past 40 years. Professor Darbyshire was awarded an OBE in 1996 and a CBE in 2010 for services to clinical sciences.

Following the ceremony at the University of Aberdeen, The Duchess visited and formally opened Banchory Sports Village, a new state-of-the-art facility from Aberdeenshire Council, supported by community fundraising.