The Duchess of Cambridge has made a private visit to her addiction charity to meet alcohol and drug users being successfully treated by the organisation.

Kate travelled to a treatment centre run by Action on Addiction in Wiltshire to meet staff and recovering addicts yesterday as she continues to learn about the body's work.

The royal became patron of the charity in the New Year when three other patronages were also announced and her decision to become a volunteer with the Scout Association.

Kate is using her time alone, while her husband William is in the Falkland Islands working as an RAF search and rescue helicopter co-pilot, getting first hand knowledge about the work of her organisations.

A St James's Palace spokesman said: "She visited the charity's headquarters yesterday in Wiltshire, one of a number of ongoing private visits to her charities.

"The Duchess is getting to know more about what the charities do and meet the staff and those they help."

The royal met staff at Clouds House in East Knoyle near Salisbury - a former private residence set in beautiful parkland where addicts are treated.

Many go through detox when they arrive then start a 12-step programme of intensive counselling.

Action on Addiction helps people with a range of addictions at its treatment centres across England and also supports their families, commissions research and trains people to be addictions counsellors.

The Duchess' first solo public engagements were announced yesterday and she will travel to Liverpool on February 14 to learn more about the addiction charity's work in the city.

Kate will visit The Brink, an adult "dry bar" that provides food, drink and entertainment to the public but also has private areas set aside for alcohol counselling, run by Action on Addiction.