In pictures: Prince Edward urges pupils to make lots of noise during Newport visit

And didn't they just take him at his word – with guests from the formal list also happily joining in.

During a whistle-stop tour of the well-known haberdasher's school, a relaxed Prince Edward entertained hugely when he met dozens of students, staff, local dignitaries and governors.

And talking of entertaining, the Prince was delighted to hear some Taiko Drumming, partly instigated by his recent visit to Korea and his suggestion that haberdasher's schools might create such a group.

Although it started to rain on his royal parade, Prince Edward was clearly more than happy at the short outdoor show, judging by his wide smile and the foot tapping which was going on.

He is no stranger to Adams' Grammar School, recalling that yesterday's visit was "either the third or fourth time I've been here" and everyone was thrilled to welcome him again.

Something underlined by headmaster Gary Hickey, who said: "At the start of the visit, His Royal Highness stopped and spoke to so many students on the way up to the school, it was fabulous."

And the theme continued for the next hour or so as Prince Edward, escorted by Lord Lieutenant Sir Algernon Heber-Percy and his wife Lady Jane Heber-Percy, renewed old memories and admired new aspects to the school.

The grammar school, with its day and boarding facilities, has quite a history. It was founded in 1656 by William Adams, a haberdasher who was born in Newport.

He didn't have children and had never married, so left a bequest for the foundation of the school, which first opened on March 25, 1656. Having received permission from Oliver Cromwell to lay down the school's foundations, William Adams decided to do his best to underpin its future by appointing the master and wardens of the Haberdashers' Company as governors in perpetuity.

And all these centuries on, today's modern governors were out in force, including former Shrewsbury School head, Jeremy Goulding, who now lives in the Cotswolds, a governor and Chair of Teaching and Learning at Adams and a governor at the Abraham Darby Academy, Madeley.

"This really is a good day for the school," he said. School Captain Cleopatra Darwish got that often difficult question from the royal visitor: "What do you want to do when you leave?"

Recalling the moment, Cleopatra, 17, laughed and said: "It's always difficult to have to decide what route you are going to take when you are our ages. But I told the Prince that I had been considering medicine and I think I still am."

Ex-head Michael Barratt was especially pleased by the day, and so he should be – he had been responsible in his time for the £1.3 million fundraising for the new block.

The school tour included seeing pupils working in small groups, visiting the library and very gently refusing to try homemade biscuits because, I'm told, he said he was watching his weight. The Prince was on the second stop of a busy day – with Cheshire the next port of call. Since his main reason for yesterday's Shropshire trip was to officially open the new Humanities Centre, he thoroughly entertained the pupils in particular by saying: "Now me unveiling a plaque is not necessarily the most exciting thing that has happened in your lives for a long time. So this is your chance to pretend it is and to make as much noise as possible."

As egged on by a delighted royal visitor who was encouraging them to even louder heights, they cheered, shouted, stamped their feet in a prolonged appreciation.

And so the new centre was officially opened – very noisily indeed.