The Earl and Countess of Wessex today came to Bath to visit its two best-known attractions.
The royal pair reopened a section of the Roman Baths after a tour of Bath Abbey.
The couple opened the newly-renovated Temple Precinct, part of a development project that has increased space for visitors and revealed more of the ancient monument.
Changes to the Baths - the city's most-visited attraction - include new energy-saving lighting and a suspended walkway above the precinct, which will give visitors an aerial view of the site.
Full wheelchair access will follow in the autumn with the installation of two new lifts.
Bath and North East Somerset Council head of heritage services Stephen Bird said the authority was delighted to host the visit.
Mr Bird added: "These improvements to the Roman Baths will make the experience much better for our visitors. The imaginative lighting scheme also supports the council's drive to reduce energy bills and energy consumption."
Prince Edward and the Countess also paid a visit to the nearby abbey, which included a tour led by the rector, Prebendary Edward Mason.
He said: "We are delighted that the Earl and Countess of Wessex were able to include the abbey in their visit to Bath. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to give the royal couple a glimpse of what we do here at the abbey."
The tour included viewings of the ledger stone commemorating the Queen's visit on the 1,000th anniversary of the birth of the English monarchy in 1973, medieval carvings and contemporary needlework, and the foundations of the North Aisle, as well as the trial repair of the floor in that part of the church.
The abbey is undergoing a major modernisation and refurbishment project, with one aspect being the use of water from the supply to the Baths for underfloor heating.
The couple met and spoke with several members of staff, as well as members of the congregation and the abbey's youngest choir, the Melody Makers, who gave an impromptu concert.
They also learnt about the church's work with the homeless through the Genesis Trust, the recent floor repair and heating trial and its future plans for the Footprint refurbishment project.
Mr Mason added: "Hopefully this has given them a real sense of the abbey being a people and place fully alive."
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