The Princess Royal rewarded tutors who share her love of horse-riding during a series of flying visits across Sussex.
The Princess arrived by helicopter at the Court Meadow School, in Cuckfield, before making further visits to Worthing and Billingshurst.
She presented the Queen's Golden Jubilee Award for Voluntary Service to the Court Meadow Riding for the Disabled (RDA) Group, which has been helping pupils with severe learning difficulties and special needs for 30 years. RDA group helpers, past and present, attended the event.
In Worthing, the Princess's helicopter landed in Homefield Park and visited the Save the Children charity shop in Montague Street.
Eight-year-old Alexandra Johnson, of Bayford Road, Littlehampton, who presented her with a posy, said: "She talked about the flowers matching my outfit."
Elizabeth Munday, of Alinora Crescent, Worthing, said: "She was ever so friendly, pleasant and natural and talked to everybody."
The Princess later visited a seminar for parish councils at Billingshurst Village Hall and the site of the 1066 Battle of Hastings.
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