Curious visitors and locals lined the streets of Hamilton to get a close look at Royal guest Prince Andrew as he arrived in the middle of the pomp and ceremony heralding the re-convening of Parliament.

Front Street was a blaze of colour as the brightly attired and immaculately drilled Regimental band of honour delivered a musical prelude to the arrival of the Duke of York dressed in an all-white ceremonial outfit.

As a 21-gun salute rang out the Queen?s second son, and fourth in the line to the Throne, stepped down from a horse-drawn carriage at the entrance to the grounds of Cabinet House to inspect the Regiment before entering a marquee within the grounds where he delivered the Throne Speech.

Amongst those who had come to watch were Canadian visitors Shirley and Bill Simpson from Ontario, who managed to get a prime viewing spot on the steps of the obelisk within the Cabinet House grounds.

Mr. Simpson said: ?We knew this was on but we didn?t think we?d be able to get this close. We like Prince Andrew and we enjoy hearing the marching band.?

Another of those positioned at the obelisk was Pembroke resident Julie Outerbridge, who said: ?I always come to see the opening of Parliament but it was a surprise to hear the Prince was here today.?

American Grove Raap, from Connecticut, had been tipped off about the Royal event earlier in the morning at Coco Reef Resort, he said: ?We had other things planned then one of the women on the desk said Prince Andrew was coming so we thought we would come down and spend the day here.?

Swedish visitor Nina Danielsson said: ?Normally you only get to see the British Royal Family pictured in glossy magazines.

?The British Royalty is more protected that the Swedish Royal Family who you can see in the street and out having coffee.?

Andrew Charlesworth, from England, said: ?Seeing him today it all feels much more accessible that seeing a Royal in the UK.? Bermudian Charles Farmer noted: ?He always seems to be quite a young man when you see him in the media but he looked more mature in the flesh.?

Chief Education Officer Dr. Joseph Christopher, referring to the Prince?s slip-up when he mentioned a housing project would take 30 years rather than 30 months, said: ?The Duke carried off his role very effectively and he was relaxed and not too uptight and made a joke about the mistake he made.?

Friends Iliene Bremar and Jean Roberts, from Sandys, both made a special trip to see the Prince. Now that they are retired they were at last able to take time out to see a Royal visitor and were impressed by how handsome and smart the Duke of York appeared.

Mrs. Bremar likes all the Royal Family, she said: ?They are all good people.?

Schoolchildren from Paget Primary and Southampton Glebe got a clear view of the proceedings as they sat on the lawn.

Afterwards Southampton Glebe pupil Tariq Bell, 9, said he thought Prince Andrew had done a good job reading the speech, while the school?s deputy principal Acnita Cross said the children would be going back to class to do a presentation on the event, highlighting points that had been made in the Throne Speech.