As they made their way into Nick's Warehouse, one of Northern Ireland's top restaurants, they received a warm welcome from the waiting crowds before making their appearance at the North East Ireland Slow Food Convivium – where Charles said he faced stiff competition with his own food line, Duchy Originals.

The royal couple were met by the Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast Lady Carswell, as well as Lord Mayor Jim Rodgers and the Sheriff of Belfast Margaret McKenzie. Restaurant owners Nick Price and his wife Kathy showed them around the restaurant.

Inside were a number of stalls representing only a small number of the Slow Food Ireland movement, each laden with food products from across Northern Ireland.

The organisation is committed to helping small-scale and artisan food producers provide a diverse range of fresh, environmentally friendly and locally sourced products – something the prince is an advocate of.

It was this passion for food which local producers said made it easy to talk to the next heir to the throne.

Dennis Lynn, from Finnebrogue, a company which produces organic venison products, said the prince was "very interested in food and what we are all doing here".

"He does a very similar thing with his own brand as well," he said. "We are all, hopefully, in the same club of interested foodies.

"We thought it would be quite difficult to talk to the prince, but it was very easy. He understands exactly what we are doing, the struggles of a small business and the amount of effort we have gone to to get here today."

Will Tayler, from Glastry Farm, said Camilla was very impressed with their ice-cream, asking where she could buy it in London. Unfortunately he had the job of telling her she could only get it in Ulster.

Mairead and David Tiernan, who make Glebe Brethan cheese, said the couple were impressed with their brand.

"He was very interested in what we are doing. It's great to know the work and the hours we are putting into it are appreciated," they said.

Paul Kerr, from NI Seafood, said the prince was very interested in sustainable fishing and Camilla tasted the sample of dogfish they had on offer.

"They were very pleasant," he said. "It's nice to see a certain amount of sincerity in regards his interest in responsible fishing schemes. He was taking a deep interest in that and we all know he's very interested in conservation."

The royal couple took the time to talk to each producer, and at the end were presented with a hamper of food selected from those present.
Thanking everyone there, Prince Charles made a short speech in which he said himself and Camilla had enjoyed meeting and "grazing" at all the stalls.

"And apart from anything else, I have been so intrigued to find where so much of the competition to Duchy Originals lies," he said.

"They have all been telling me this as I go round."

He said it was important people knew where their food was coming from.

"More and more people have got that connection to how their food is produced and the story behind it, and that's really the root of what culture is all about. We lose that at our peril," he said.