Maria was attending the launch by Burberry of its Spring/Summer 2013 range, as part of London Fashion Week.

Burberry was founded in Basingstoke in 1856, when Thomas Burberry opened his first drapers shop in Winchester Street. Rapid expansion led to the opening of a factory in New Street and later a mill in London Street.

Maria said: “I was really pleased to be able to give Burberry my support at the London Fashion Week event, and draw attention to Basingstoke’s key role in the company’s development. Basingstoke is a great place for businesses to develop and grow and there is a real spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in the town now – just as there was 150 years ago when Burberry started up.”

Maria added: “Fashion is an important growth industry in the UK, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and boosting British exports.”