A royal helped oil the wheels of industry, commerce and education on a visit to Kirklees and Calderdale.
The Duke of Kent, who served as the UK’s special representative for international trade, presented awards on behalf of the Queen.
The Duke, a cousin of the Queen, visited Millers Oils in Rastrick before heading off to the University of Huddersfield for lunch.
He then dropped in at Greenhead College in Huddersfield before rounding off his day by opening a new care complex for the elderly in Dewsbury.
The Duke, a motoring enthusiast, presented the Queen’s Award for Enterprise to Millers Oils, a 126-year-old firm which develops engine oils and lubricants.
The firm, which employs 85 people at its Rastrick Common site, recently opened a £500,000 research and development centre.
Joint managing director Nevil Hall showed the Duke around the centre which he described as the “beating heart of the company.”
He added: “The Duke was very interested and asked lots of questions. He saw how we are beavering away on nanotechnology to make advances in oil.”
The company is working to reduce friction in oil to increase engine power.
After his visit to Rastrick, the Duke, who officially retired from his trade role in 2007, toured the University of Huddersfield’s impressive 3M Buckley Innovation Centre in Firth Street where he presented two more Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.
Prof Liz Towns-Andrews received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion while Prof Dave Taylor and Prof Chris Cowton accepted the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade on behalf of the university.
The award for enterprise promotion recognises individuals who make a contribution to enterprise culture in the UK.
Prof Towns-Andrews was the inspiration behind the £12 million innovation centre which provides space for hi-tech companies and specialist research.
The university was honoured for its work in building overseas trade links.
Since 2008 the university has seen its international student population treble and it now has 3,000 students from 100 different countries.
The Duke, accompanied by the Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire Dr Ingrid Roscoe, was welcomed by university vice-chancellor Prof Bob Cryan and had lunch with invited business leaders.
The Duke’s day had started with a delay after his helicopter was unable to land.
He was whisked between visits by Range Rover and after the university he stopped off at Greenhead College to officially open the new £2.5m Rostron Building.
The building, which houses four science labs and 16 classrooms, is the physics, biology and maths block, built on a disused former tennis court.
The Duke met staff and students and unveiled a plaque.
The building was named in honour of Martin Rostron, who retired as principal in July after 22 years at the college. Mr Rostron helped grow the college from 900 students in 1991 to more than 2,000 now.
Charles Slater, 17, of Honley, said the naming of the building was very appropriate and added: “Mr Rostron did a great deal for the college.”
The Duke’s visit to the district ended in Dewsbury as he opened a new sheltered apartments complex.
Woodland Court, a partnership between Kirklees Council and Regenter Excellent Homes for Life, has 46 rented apartments with on-site 24-hour-a-day care and shared facilities.
The Duke, joined by Deputy Mayor of Kirklees Clr Ken Smith and council Cabinet members Clr Cathy Scott and Clr Molly Walton, toured the complex in School Lane, Staincliffe, and met residents.
The complex, known as Extra Care Housing, is aimed at keeping frail and vulnerable over 55-year-olds in their own homes. Woodland Court, opened in July, is the first of three such schemes planned by Kirklees Council.
One of the residents who loves her new home is 98-year-old Edith Bell, formerly of Huddersfield.
Widow Mrs Bell, often seen whizzing around Woodland Court in her electric wheelchair, said: “I love the freedom I have here. With my electric wheelchair I can go out with my support worker a couple of times a week. I hope to stay here a long time.”
