Charles is asked ‘how’s your mummy?’ on his last visit to Northern Ireland

Violet Massey, who has attended Princess Diana and the Queen Mother’s funerals, said to Prince Charles in CS Lewis Square that it was wonderful to meet him in the flesh.

She greeted him as “our future king” and asked him, “How’s your mummy?”

After Charles had departed she said he told her it was very nice of her to ask and that he knew his mother, The Queen, was in people’s thoughts.

It came six months before The Queen passed away.

At the time Violet said it was an honour to meet Prince Charles: “Because there’s so much in our wee country with troubles, and to see them coming here ... Charles never forgets about Northern Ireland.

“It make me proud to say that I’m glad that I’m British and I’m glad that we have this royal family. He’s going to be our next king, I think he’s going to be a wonderful king.”

The visit to CS Lewis Square came as part of a two day trip to the Province.

The Prince of Wales also visited the recently refurbished Grand Opera House before travelling with the Duchess of Cornwall to CS Lewis Square in east Belfast, named after the author who was born in the city.

The Royal couple spent time chatting with those who had gathered around the square before Camilla went inside the Holywood Arches Library, chatting with local reading and knitting clubs.

The ladies from the knit and natter group said they’d known for a couple of weeks they were going to be getting a VIP visitor, but it wasn’t until she saw the news on Tuesday night about the royal visit to Northern Ireland that they worked out who it was going to be.

One of the members of the group said: “Camilla talked about how wonderful it was to be a grandmother, but how it was great to be able to give them back.”

Charles picked Robert Reynolds out of the crowd to ask him about his bike.

Robert, 52, said the Prince of Wales took a great interest in his mode of transport and how far he had come: “I told him I’d cycled down the greenway from Comber. The plan had been to cycle through CS Lewis Square but it was closed off for the royal visit.

“It worked out well, because I was waiting here I got to meet Prince Charles.”