Pictures and video: Prince Charles waves the flag for Llangollen Eisteddfod

He also demonstrated his dancing skills when he joined in with the traditional parade of nations.

Making his first visit to the festival since 2006, the Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall, called in as part of his latest annual tour of the country.

And the Duchess appeared to be highly entertained when members of the Sheerer Punjabi Bhangra Dancers grabbed hold of her husband's hands and pulled him into a dance with them, to the cheers of the crowds.

Narinder Singh, who risked the wrath of the security guards when he grabbed the prince's hands, said he was delighted he had got into the spirit of the dance.

Hundreds of competitors from all across the world took to the streets, dressed in national costume and to the accompaniment of Indian drums and strains of Irish fiddle music.

Locals were delighted to welcome the royal couple to Llangollen, where they spent some time in the town itself as well as enjoying the atmosphere on the eisteddfod field.

The couple arrived in a Bentley at 3.45pm yesterday and toured the streets, meeting the hordes of crowds who had gathered to watch the parade of nations.

During the meet and greet the couple popped into one of the local shops, Gwyn Davies butchers, as part of his visit, continuing a theme he had been pursuing throughout the day with visits to other businesses across Wales during the morning.

The couple arrived at the Penddol end of the field to be officially welcomed by Eisteddfod Chairman Gethin Davies who introduced him to fellow officers including chief executive David Neal and musical director Eilir Owen Griffiths.

They then made their way along the colourful line of competitors from across the world formed up waiting to march in the parade, pausing to speak to a number of people as they went.

The prince had been handed a large Welsh dragon flag by the head boy and head girl of Ysgol Dinas Bran in Llangollen, 17-year-old Olivia Holgate and Ross Briscoe, 16.

He used it to wave off the parade, headed by eisteddfod President Terry Waite in an open-topped vintage car, in the style of a grand prix starting line-up.

Mr Waite, 74, had earlier told young first-time volunteers at the festival that they are helping to promote international understanding and hope for the future.

He said: "The eisteddfod at Llangollen was founded after the Second World War with the idea of the local community using what gifts they had to bring together people from different backgrounds and nationalities through the language of music and to promote new relationships.

"By coming along to work here this week you are helping people to form these relationships and promote international understanding.

"Peace begins here at the Llangollen Eisteddfod and is not just something that happens overseas. You are part of a massive movement promoting peace through music, which has the capacity to bring harmony across the world.

"People go away from the eisteddfod with new understanding and hope for the future."

Many of the audience and competitors were returning to the festival after several previous visits.

One of these is 32-year-old Yuyen Xu, who was the winner of an over-18s instrumental solo section last year.

She said she enjoyed herself so much that she came back this year at the head of 21 String Guzheng Ensemble, which she formed two years ago back home in Guang Dong, southern China.

The group performed in the festival's Tuesday evening concert, Heart of Llangollen, where musicians from across the world took to the stage for a feast of culture, colour and entertainment.

Yuyen said: "I came to Llangollen for the first time last year to compete and was lucky enough to win my solo category.

"I enjoyed it very much, because all the people I met were so friendly, the location was so beautiful and the whole experience as a musician was so different to anything I had been involved in before.

"After last year I decided I must come back with the ensemble to compete and share my enjoyment of Llangollen with the other members."

The festival continues throughout the week with concerts by Alfie Boe and UB40 taking place alongside the competitions.

Veteran Llangollen volunteer Sean Davies from Glyndyfrdwy who was waiting in the parade with the Loughgiel dancers from Northern Ireland whose members she is taking care of this week, actually got a handshake from the prince.

"It was marvellous to meet him and just fantastic to actually have him shake me by the hand," she said.

And it was second time lucky for 16-year-old Sean Clark, a member of the Kiltearn Fiddlers folk group from the Highlands of Scotland, when it came to meeting the Prince of Wales who came over to speak to him just before waving off the parade.

A kilted Sean said: "I was at a royal garden party at Holyrood in Edinburgh a couple of years ago and unfortunately didn't get to meet him then.

"This time I did and it was very exciting. He asked me where we came from and about the competition."

Gethin Davies, chairman of the festival, said: "It's been a great pleasure to welcome the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, making a return visit. They met scores of competitors and they all were delighted to see them.

"He spent a lot more time here than we expected and he seemed very much at ease here.

"Competitions have begun and are of a very high standard. We held a new competition today which attracted a very high standard, which was excellent for a new competition."

Eisteddfod Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths added: "It was great to welcome the Prince of Wales, who is our Patron, to the opening day of the festival.

"He brought a lot of buzz and excitement to the field and our international competitors in particular were thrilled to see him.

"He stayed with us longer than expected and seemed very much at ease.

"It was a fantastic start to this year's eisteddfod."

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have pulled pints together behind the bar of a community-run village pub on their annual tour of Wales.

Charles and Camilla visited the Raven Inn in Llanarmon-yn-lal, Denbighshire, North Wales, a village in the Clwydian Hills with a population of around 400, all of whom appeared to have turned out to give the royal visitors a warm Welsh welcome.

Built in the 1700s, the pub was saved from closure five years ago after locals mucked in to paint and decorate and reopen the inn as a not-for-profit community asset.

After meeting some of the 40 or so volunteer barman and pot washers, the royal visitors joined cellarman Doug Macpherson behind the bar.

Charles pulled a pint of copper-coloured ale appropriately titled the Prince of Pales while Camilla pulled a pint of Tricky Whu, both brewed locally.

Both visitors gingerly took a sip of the ales to cheers from locals.

Denise Dugan, who pulls pints behind the bar, said: "It's been a lot of hard work by the community so its great to have this visit today, this recognition.

"It is the social centre of the village along with the chapel. It's where most people come."

The royal party then stepped up to the oche to each throw a round of darts, Charles scoring 13 and Camilla seven.

Success with the pub inspired locals to buy the village shop and run it on the same basis.

Charles and Camilla were given a tour, viewing the local produce, Camilla showing particular interest in the locally baked cakes and shortbread.

Shop volunteer Vivian Bennion said: "Charles was asking me about the type of goods that we sell. It has been a great success story. The shop was for sale and it was bought by five locals.

"It is run primarily by volunteers and it is going from strength to strength."

The royal party was besieged by well-wishers waving the Welsh flag as they shook hands with cheering locals during the short walk to the village church of St Garmon.

Local choir Cor Dewi Sant gave a stirring rendition of Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, the Welsh national anthem, with smiling approval and applause from Charles.

Outside Gaynor Bryan Jones held a home-made sign saying "Diolch" - or thank you in English - for Charles.

She said: "I just wanted to thank the Prince for all that he's doing in Wales for the farmers."

Royal security protocol appeared to be waived after two visitors staying at the pub were allowed to remain in their accommodation despite the VIP visit - after travelling from their homes 12,000 miles away.

Australians Robyn Main and Glenys Palmer booked to stay at the inn during a holiday tour of UK - before they knew of the royal visit.

Mrs Main, from Adelaide, said: "When they said we have got Prince Charles and Camilla coming we thought it was a joke.

"They felt they couldn't kick us out because it was booked so long ago so they let us stay in the rooms.

"It has been such a delight. I've always been a royalist and I love the English and Welsh."