A Selborne museum had its first royal visit for 23 years last week as The Princess Royal was given a lesson on virtual reality during a flying visit to Gilbert’s White House.

On the hottest day of the year the focus was on the frozen continent as the work of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) was showcased to its royal patron.

Princess Anne is the patron of the UKAHT while there is a strong link between Gilbert White’s House and Antarctica as the attraction hosts the Oates Collection.

Several rooms are dedicated to the intrepid Captain Oakes while the items on display were part of the ill-fated Scott of the Antarctic expedition to the South Pole.

And echoing the explorer’s last words, the royal visitor certainly spent some time chatting to staff and curators about the exhibition before meeting UKAHT members and their New Zealand counterparts.

The UKAHT and New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust have joined forces to produce a pair of immersive VR experiences that will be touring the UK.

People who don a VR headset will get the chance to learn about the continent’s rich history of science and exploration through cutting-edge technology.

The UKAHT has produced a 30-minute experience which takes participants to an historic scientific base, while the NZAHT have virtually reproduced Scott’s 1902 Discovery Hut on Ross Island.

Selborne Primary School pupils who tried the VR experience chatted with the Princess Royal during her tour with eleven-year-old Edward Hatchwell finding himself face to face with the royal after removing his headset.

He said: “It was quite special – she asked if we had used it before and when I took my headset off she was there.”

Philip Geddes, who “wrote” the museum’s Oates exhibition along with Patrick Cordingley, called Princess Royal “brilliant” after giving her a tour.

He said: “She talks to everyone and is so engrossed.

“It was my job to show her around because I worked on putting it together with the marvellous Patrick.

“Everything you see here is from the original Scott expedition so it’s all gone to the South Pole and back. We were originally going to put it in Scott’s hut but we didn’t have the budget to rebuild it, so this is the next best thing.”

Bryan Oates, great nephew of the expedition member whose famous last words were “I’m just going outside and may be some time”, was also among the guests.

He said: “Courageous, determined and brave – he was all these things and more.

“This story is an important one for young people to know.”

Camilla Nichol and Francesca Eathorne, CEO and Executive Director of the UK and NZ Antarctic Heritage Trusts, respectively, both gave speeches before Princess Royal hailed their work.

The royal said: “How do you visualise Antarctica if you’re not there? It’s a ridiculous question but this has offered quite a different perspective.

“To get this story together in VR in a way that young people seem very happy to listen to is no mean achievement.”