The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were mobbed by well-wishers during a whirlwind visit to St Kitts and Nevis.

The couple were greeted by delighted crowds as they arrived in the capital Basseterre for a day-long visit to the Caribbean islands.

On an impromptu walkabout, the royals shook hands with hundred of local well wishers and tourists from as far a field as he UK, Toronto and Denver.

One well-wisher said “lovely to have you here”, Charles smiled and replied: “It’s been so long.”

Royal tour of the Caribbean – Day 5
Children wait for the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to arrive in Basseterre town (Phil Noble/PA)

The royal couple each took a side of the street and shook hand after hand as they greeted as many people as they could.

“I’ve been waiting for this for 46 years!” screamed one woman excitedly as she clutched the prince’s hand.

“You take care of her, you hear!” shouted another man to Camilla’s security team.

Camilla got a fit of the giggles as she signed a visitors’ book, prompting her husband to start chuckling too, as a colourfully dressed local band called the Hotshot String Band played.

Royal tour of the Caribbean
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall take the salute on their arrival in St Kitts and Nevis (Jane Barlow/PA)

The couple then made their way down to the quayside to get a boat from St Kitts over to neighbouring Nevis.

Charles walked down on foot but Camilla, wearing a cool azure tunic and trousers and carrying a Heidi Klein raffia bag, hopped into a golf buggy.

Royal tour of the Caribbean
Camilla travelled to the quayside on a golf buggy (Phil Noble/PA)

“Bye you lot!” she said and waved cheerfully at the waiting photographers.

She and her husband are on a marathon 12-day tour of the Caribbean behalf of the British government.