THE North-East is in for a double royal visit in the New Year, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Prince Charles will open a hospice's children's unit when he visits the region next week.

The prince will have a guided tour of the eight-bedroomed unit at St Oswald's Hospice, in Gosforth, Newcastle, on Friday January 9.

He will meet the hospice's child and adult patients, staff, and some of the people who helped raise the £5.1m to build the unit through its Jigsaw Appeal.

The unit, which opened earlier this year, provides respite care for youngsters from Northumberland, Tyneside, Wearside and County Durham with life-limiting disease such as cystic fibrosis and spina bifida.

Richard Parker, the hospice's chief executive, said he was absolutely thrilled that the Prince of Wales would perform the opening ceremony.

During his visit to the region, the prince will also visit Ryhope Pumping Station, the steam museum near Sunderland, and hear of plans for a mental hospital on the site of the Cherry Knowle Hospital, in Ryhope.

He will also see the regeneration of Gateshead, visiting the St Mary's Visitor Centre, on the town's quayside, which is home to the Baltic and Tyneside's Millennium Bridge.

In March, the Duke of Edinburgh will visit HMS Bark Endeavour and the yacht James Cook, in Whitby, North Yorkshire.

He will sail from Robin Hood's Bay into Whitby Harbour on the Endeavour, which is a life-size replica of the famous Captain Cook ship, followed by the James Cook, which will be crewed by Duke of Edinburgh award winners.

The visit means that the HMS Bark Endeavour will return to Whitby weeks earlier than originally planned.