In pictures: Prince Charles opens Bekynton Field Development at Eton College

The final artefact in the Eton Museum of Antiquities at Eton College's new Bekynton Field Development was placed in its display cabinet by the Prince of Wales earlier today.

Prince Charles, whose sons the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry are both former pupils, officially opened the development.

It is the largest new development since the college was founded in 1440.

As well as the Jafar Hall and Jafar Gallery, which is home to the museum, the development serves the modern languages, divinity and economics and politics departments.

It includes 40 new classrooms, common rooms and replaces temporary facilities.

His Royal Highness was greeted by the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire the Hon James Puxley, senior staff and head students.

He then spoke to language staff and students in one of the common rooms of the new facility before heading to the Jafar Hall.

Three pupils there recited poetry for the prince, including Ulysses, an extract from Beowulf and Eeyore's POEM.

Prince Charles then spoke with a number of visitors and studied the artefacts in the museum before placing the final piece, a marble head of a young man from a Greek relief (dating from the fifth or early fourth century B.C.) in its display cabinet.

During his speech ahead of the unveiling of a commemorative plaque, the prince said he was 'touched' to be invited to come and open the complex and paid tribute to the craftsmanship involved.

He added: "The quality of the craftsmanship, the brickwork, the stonework, the copper and everything else is a great tribute I think, above all else, to those people who have these remarkable skills,"

Headmaster Tony Little said: "It is a very special day. In a school that is 600 years old this is one of the greatest days I think because we are developing our facilities in a major way both for the benefit of Eton teachers and students but also for a much wider community.

"For the first time we have had a space which is going to be able to display many of the wonderful collections we have.

"The idea is, come the autumn, there will be times when we could actually open it to the public, but also we will be using it a lot for visiting schools."

He added the craftsmanship involved in the development has been a 'a really significant part of this project'.

"We have taken a lot of time and it has not been without some difficulties, but what we have been able to do and keen to do is to engage real craftsmen," he said.

"We are really trying to build something that is going to last."

Among those present at today's event were architect John Simpson and coppersmith Michael Johnson.

Michael handmade the akroterion along with fellow craftsman Shelley Anderson at Newlyn Copper Works in Cornwall over a period of about six to eight months.

He said: "It is an absolute honour to work with Eton and I am indebted to them for the commission."

He added the college and the architects are playing a 'central role' in renewing the art of coppersmithing.

The craftsman's workshop opened in the 1890s and shut just after the Second World War.

He said it was originally mainly there to provide a bit of extra work for the fisherman and that he reopened it 12 years ago.

"It has been a real honour to know that we have been able bring that craft alive in Newlyn and get it back again," he said.

"Our challenge has been to bring back a contemporary relevance to coppersmithing in the UK and to bring back this fantastic craft of coppersmithing in the UK.

"There has not been a piece like this made in the UK  in a couple of generations."

The Prince, who has a keen interest in traditional arts and crafts, spoke to Michael about how it was made and about his workshop.

A former choreographer, Michael got involved in metal work through his uncle, armourer Terry English.

"I am dancing in metal now," he said.

"And I do consider it very much that. Part of my challenge is to make copper beautiful and elegant again."

View more photos from Prince Charles' visit below.