THE Queen was seeing a garden created in memory of her late sister, Princess Margaret, for the first time during her visit to Oxford today.

Her Majesty was spending the morning at the Rothermere American Institute in South Parks Road, where she was officially opening the memorial.

The new garden is the creation of hotel and clothes designer Anouska Hempel, who first gained fame as an actress in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Queen who celebrated her 80th birthday two weeks ago was due to meet Ms Hempel and trustees of the institute before unveiling a stone to mark her visit.

Dr Paul Giles, director of the Rothermere American Institute, said he was very excited about meeting the Queen.

As part of her visit, the Queen was also taking a tour of the Oxford University Press Oxford Dictionary of National Biography in St Giles.

There she was to meet editors and have a look at the latest online version of the dictionary.

Robert Faber, director of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) project, said: "It's a great honour for us and for everyone who uses the Oxford DNB in public and academic libraries all over the country."

At mid-morning, the Queen was to officially open the Oxford Castle complex a multi-million pound redevelopment of the 19th-century prison site.

She was having a walk around the site, which includes a hotel, restaurants and heritage centre, before meeting trustees, archaeologists, conservationists, fundraisers and builders.

The Queen was also unveiling a plaque at the development.

At midday the tour was due to end with lunch at Christ Church in St Aldate's.

Bursar John Harris said the Queen would be eating lamb for lunch, and added: "It is her first visit since December 1992 and we are very pleased she is coming for lunch."

Mr Harris said while at the college, the Queen was to meet students, dons, staff and their relatives, and 180 boys from the choir school.