Charles and Camilla visit Exeter Cathedral
- Published
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have carried out their first mask-free royal visits of the pandemic.
Prince Charles and Camilla went to Exeter Cathedral in Devon on Monday - the day most legal coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England.
The couple met well-wishers outside the cathedral at the start of a three-day tour of Devon and Cornwall.
During an impromptu walkabout, Camilla said she hoped the worst of the pandemic was over.
Prince Charles, who is patron of the Exeter Cathedral Development Appeal, and Camilla heard about the restoration of the building.
The couple also met community groups, including Devon Wildlife Trust, Exeter City Community Trust and the Met Office, which works with the cathedral and Exeter University on climate change research.
After meeting the groups in the open-air, Charles and Camilla walked over to a line of residents who had been waiting for them to arrive.
The duchess chatted to Exeter resident Sarah Clarke, who said afterwards: "She said it's lovely to be here and hopefully we're over the worst of it [the Covid-19 pandemic] and I said: 'Fingers crossed.'
"She also said we've just got to be careful."
The royal couple also chatted to Tuesday Masding, a senior healthcare assistant with the North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust.
She said after speaking to Camilla: "We were just discussing the relaxation of rules and how she hasn't quite got around to shaking hands with people, and I said that's probably an appropriate reaction."
The Dean of Exeter, the Very Reverend Jonathan Greener, hailed the visit of the prince and duchess, who were also told about ongoing major renovations to the medieval place of worship.
He said: "It was a wonderful experience on such a lovely day - the first day of freedom - what more could you ask for?
"The sun's shining, we don't have to wear masks, they were both on sunny form - it was marvellous, and they were so interested in what people were telling them."
Prince Charles also visited St Sidwell's bus depot in Exeter, while Camilla spent time at Heron Valley Orchards, in Loddiswell, Devon.
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