YORK’S most distinctive building welcomed another Royal visitor as Princess Beatrice of York dropped in at the Minster stoneyard.

The Queen’s granddaughter travelled to the stoneyard only hours after welcoming the Olympic flame to Harewood House in Leeds on Tuesday, and took a tour of the Minster, even donning a hard hat for the first time in her life to travel to the top of the scaffolding and look at the ongoing work to the cathedral.

Pamela Simpson, marketing officer at York Minster, said: “The princess was absolutely lovely with everyone.

“Her father, the Duke of York, has visited us before, but she made time for everyone who met her, and seemed to love the Minster. She was here for about 40 minutes in total. We’d love her to come back and see how the work comes along.”

As well as a tour of the stoneyard and the York Glaziers’ Trust, the princess was even treated to a surprise from a passing group of tourists.

Pamela said: “When she came down from the scaffold there was a choir from California who just happened to be passing. They asked who she was and when we told them, the choir master asked if they could sing for her. She said she had a couple of minutes, and they launched into an impromptu performance. She took everything in her stride.”