PRINCE Edward is set to give South Hill Park's newly restored grounds the Royal seal of approval at its official opening.

The Earl of Wessex will be visiting the popular arts centre in Ringmead, on Tuesday, July 24, to see how the �4.4m project has transformed its grounds.

He will visit the restored amphitheatre, where he will watch an excerpt from the open-air production of the Shakespeare play 'All's Well That Ends Well' before meeting the cast and the team that worked on the grounds.

Ron McAllister, chief executive of South Hill Park in Birch Hill, said: "It is very exciting news! I think he has got a particular passion for performing arts so we will have lots to talk about. We are delighted that a Royal will get to see some what we can do in the grounds with the performance as well as the grounds itself." Work began on the grounds in 2010 after Bracknell Forest Council successfully bid with Bracknell Town Council for a �2.3m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund.

The arts centre was given another boost this week after two of its three patrons - Hollywood heavyweights Kate Winslet and Kenneth Branagh - were included in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Titanic actress Ms Winslet - who took her first steps to acting stardom in Bracknell - has been made a CBE, and stage actor and director Sir Kenneth has been knighted. Ms Winslet appeared in youth productions of Jungle Book and Bugsy Malone in South Hill Park's Wilde Theatre in the 1980s.

She won the best actress Oscar for her role in The Reader in 2009.

Mr McAllister said: "Everyone at South Hill Park offers them our heart-felt congratulations." Ms Winslet's mother Sally used to work at the arts centre in the bistro.