Prince Edward flew out of Bermuda on Saturday but only after declaring how he impressed he was with the post-Fabian clean-up operation.

Edward, the third and youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II, completed his 30-hour whistle-stop tour of the Island with a press conference at which he poured praised on the recovery operation and once again remarked on how friendly Bermudians were.

"I have only been here for a short time but have had the opportunity to see some of the damage that has been caused," said the Prince at the final public engagement at the end of a ten-day tour of the Caribbean.

"Fabian did cause a considerable amount of damage and it is sad this included a tragic loss of life.

"But I have been really impressed with the speed the community and the natural environment have recovered.

"The clean-up operation has been so effective. A lot of people have worked so hard in a short space of time.

"There are some remarkable stories that have come out of this. And this is an opportunity to look forward."

Prince Edward, now formally known as the Earl of Wessex, began his final day on the Island meeting youngsters taking part in the King Edward VII Gold Cup sailing event - named after his great-great-grandfather.

He was introduced to youngsters both from Bermuda and as far afield as Australia, Denmark, Poland and Sweden, before heading out on the Police Launch Blue Heron to watch around an hour of the event while being talked through the finer points of the competition by 1999 winner Andy Green, among others.

The Prince, whose only other visit was back in 1992 when he oversaw the Peppercorn Ceremony at St. George's, then attended a lunch at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute hosted by Premier Alex Scott and a myriad politicians and businessman.

He was also introduced to Around Alone sailor Alan Paris.

In the afternoon the Prince was shown around the Spittal Pond nature reserve by Government Conservation Officer Jeremy Madeiros and Audubon Society vice president Andrew Dobson.

His final public engagement was at Summerhaven residential care home where the Prince met a number of residents and staged a brief press conference before ceremonially planting a tree.

"Bermuda is still very much the Island I remember from 11 years ago," said Edward, who The Royal Gazette had discovered actually asked aides if he could visit the colony on his way back to Britain from the Caribbean.

"Again I have been delighted with the friendliness of all the people I have met here.

"If I'm going to have a lasting impression, it is that Bermuda is very much getting back on track and is already moving forward."

The royal visit, the second for Governor Sir John Vereker, has been deemed as a success with many people who met the Prince finding him interested, genuine and easy to talk to.

"Yes, I think it has gone rather well," said Sir John, who also oversaw the visit of in March this year of the Duchess of Gloucester who visited Bermuda with the Scottish Opera.

"Everything has run smoothly and I believe that His Royal Highness has been impressed with what he has seen and has impressed those that he has met."

Prince Edward spent nearly an hour in a private meeting with families of the victims of Fabian on Friday before an emotional wreath-laying ceremony within sight of the Causeway where the four perished last month.

The Prince, who had offered to lead the sombre ceremony during his whistle-stop tour of the Island, tossed the wreath into the waters at Grotto Bay as around 20 family members tearfully looked on from a ocean-side balcony.

On Friday he also visited St. George's to be shown the hurricane damage to the World Heritage Site.

The Prince and his entourage flew out on the British Airways flight on Saturday evening.