OUR now-King Charles is no stranger to Keighley.

His coronation will have evoked memories for many people of his visits to this area as Prince of Wales.

He performed the honours at the official opening of Airedale Hospital in December, 1970.

His tour of the hospital fell behind schedule as he stopped to chat to staff who lined the corridors.

In the children’s ward, he gave ten-year-old Rachel Blakeney "a hand with the crossword puzzle she was doing".

Half a century later, the prince revealed that he still held "memorable recollections" of that day, in a personal video message he sent to Airedale NHS Foundation Trust.

He used the message to voice his “heartfelt thanks and kindest wishes” to staff for their work during the pandemic.

The prince described how “humbled and deeply grateful” he and his family were for all their efforts in the fight against Covid-19.

And he congratulated the hospital on achieving its 50th anniversary.

The video was shared with the trust's 3,000 staff and volunteers.

Speaking from his Birkhall home in Scotland, the Prince of Wales said he particularly remembered meeting all the staff.

He said it was “hard to believe" it had been 50 years since he came to open the hospital, at Steeton, when he had been “especially struck by your beautiful location, surrounded by green hills on the edge of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales” – an area which he said was very close to his heart.

The prince also visited the area in February, 2001.

At the former Bridge Inn pub, in Stockbridge, he met victims of recent floods who were still working to get their lives back to normal after flood waters caused millions of pounds worth of damage.

And he then went on to visit Timothy Taylor brewery.

He was given a guided tour by the former managing director Charles Dent and head brewer Peter Eells.

The prince chatted to staff and was shown the brewing process.

And he confessed to preferring "dark, nuttier beers" like Guinness to Taylor's multi-award-winning Landlord ale!

Mr Eells said the prince had many thoughtful questions about the brewing process.

He added: "He was very intrigued by the hops.

"I think he's interested in brewing because he can relate to it through his involvement in farming."

Prince Charles' ecological leanings also surfaced when he showed strong interest in plans to produce organic beer.