They are considered a bit of an oddity in the UK, but yesterday the Duke of Edinburgh became the proud owner of a pair of Bermuda shorts.

Prince Philip was given a bright green pair of shorts by David Hamshere, 70, the managing director of the English Sports Shop, at a presentation when the Queen and Duke visited Dockyard. The Prince greeted the gift, which included a pair of blue socks and a loud Bermuda tie, with muted delight and said he would not be putting the shorts on straight away.

Mr Hamshere told the Royal "you'll definitely look very elegant in them".

The 70-year-old, who was born in Bournemouth in the UK, but emigrated to Bermuda as a young man, said later: "The British military officers in the late 19th century found it was so warm and hot, because it gets humid in Bermuda.

"They were allowed to cut off their trousers, and that's how the shorts evolved."