What does it take to make a royal visit go without a hitch?

Employees at Batley textile firm Joshua Ellis Ltd can answer that – having hosted a visit on Thursday by the Princess Royal to mark the firm’s 250th anniversary.

Princess Anne, who is president of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, spent two hours at the premises in Grange Valley Road, but the visit was the culmination of five weeks’ work.

Princess Anne was welcomed by managing director Jayne Woodthorpe and sales and design director Kristie Reeves before touring the mill, meeting members of the 55-strong workforce and directors of the firm’s parent group SIL Holdings.

During her visit she unveiled a plaque and was presented with a limited-edition cashmere scarf on her departure.

Group marketing manager Lydia Ridler said: “We were really excited about her visit and we really wanted her to stay longer. I think she enjoyed her time here.”

She said: “It all started about five weeks ago when there was talk of a royal visit and although we hadn’t had it confirmed, we began thinking about the preparations we would have to make.”

Once the visit was confirmed, the company was sent an official pack setting out what it needed to do, including planning the schedule from arrival to departure, stating who the princess would meet and which areas of the business she would visit.

The company also had to compile a guest list of dignitaries and others who would be invited to attend.

“We wanted to show her the whole process from the work of the design office and how they put their ideas together through to production, weaving and finishing – using following the progress of the commemorative scarf,” said Lydia, who only joined the company five weeks ago and found herself pitched straight into helping organise the event.

“The royals want to see things as they really are – but if you are expecting a member of the royal family to visit your home or workplace you want to make things look beautiful.

“We have put up fantastic displays of our products in the boardroom, where we had to plan how many people we would be receiving for coffee.”

Lydia said: “There was a general tidy-up in the office and the factory and a little bit of ‘tweaking’ to make sure everything looked at its best.”

Joshua Ellis began as a clothiers before diversifying into woollen textile manufacturing in the late 1700s. It now weaves luxury cashmere for jackets, coats which it exports to more than 23 countries.