Royal was the word on everyone’s lips today as the Royal couple The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent time this morning at Sydney’s iconic Royal Easter Show.

Record crowds and a perfect autumn Sydney day set the scene for the much anticipated visit.

Image Source: AUSPIC

TRH Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at the Show just before 11am and were escorted by President of the Royal Agricultural Society Mr Glen Dudley, and his wife Jennifer to meet excited teachers and school children involved in the Schools District Exhibit Display Competition.

The Duke and Duchess talked to some of the children involved in the competition about the challenge of putting on a professional display, created from grains, fresh produce and wool.

President Glen Dudley said the Royal itinerary at the Show was designed to give TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge an all-encompassing Show experience.

‘’The couple spent some time viewing the District Exhibits and speaking with farmers, before officially opening the Southee and Badgery Pavilion, the new home of the Sydney Royal Show’s arts, crafts and garden displays, and the biggest arts and crafts competition in Australia,’ Mr Dudley said.

“It was a great honour and very exciting to host the Royal couple. They are the ninth visit by members of the Royal family to our Show over the last 100 years, the most recent being Princess Anne in 1988.”

The first ever Royal visit to the Royal Show was by HRH the Duke of York (Prince Albert) and HRH The Duchess of York (Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon) in 1927 when they travelled to Australia so The Duke could open the provisional Parliament House in Canberra on 9th May.

Following the Southee and Badgery Pavilion, Their Royal Highnesses Duke and Duchess of Cambridge moved into the Show’s Sheep and Wool Pavilion and were introduced to Fred.

Fred is a very large, well-behaved Merino Ram, who is now quite famous, having appeared in several television commercials.

However it was a royal blue evening gown that really stole the show. One of the highlights of the Royal tour was viewing the display of the gown designed for the Duchess by winner of the 2013 Wool4Skool program, school student Sophie Aylward from Orange. The task was to ‘’Dress a Royal’’, and Sophie chose the colour, style and shape of the dress with the Duchess in mind.

The Duke and Duchess enjoyed a sheep shearing demonstration, before being asked to sign the historic RAS visitors book for distinguished guests, a tradition honoured by previous Royals when they have visited the Show.