It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t the king! Prince Charles and Camilla show their moves on royal tour

• Charles impressed the public as he twirled a female companion around to the sounds of 1940s swing jazz music
• Duchess, who is a well known fan of the BBC’s celebrity ballroom dancing show Strictly Come Dancing also took to the floor

By Phil Vinter

PUBLISHED: 04:59 EST, 16 November 2012 | UPDATED: 06:19 EST, 16 November 2012

The Prince of Wales proved that at 64 he's still hot to trot as he took to the dancefloor with an excited stranger today.

A fleetfooted Charles impressed the public with his moves as he twirled a female companion around to the sounds of 1940s swing jazz music.

But Camilla was not left out, she also shimmied a few feet from the prince with her own partner.

The royal couple showed their lighter side as they visited Christchurch in New Zealand to learn how its residents have rebuilt their lives following last year’s devastating earthquake.

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Having a ball: Prince Charles displays a broad smile as he gives the crowd gathered in the centre of earthquake-hit Christchurch a dancing masterclass alongside psychology student Lisa Shannon

The dancefloor is a pop-up facility called Dance-O-Mat, created by the charitable trust Gap Filler, which has coin operated lighting and sound courtesy of a washing machine that plays tunes from an mp3 player.

For almost two years the organisation has been finding creative uses for open spaces left following the earthquake that struck Christchurch in September 2010 and the second deadly quake in February 2011 that claimed more than 180 lives.

Camilla was the first to take to the dancefloor after she accepted an invitation from Sam Johnson, an undergraduate who was widely praised for organising a student volunteer army to help in the aftermath of the devastating natural disaster.

The Duchess, who is a well known fan of the BBC’s celebrity ballroom dancing show Strictly Come Dancing, held the student’s right hand with hers and they moved at a gentle pace.

Rocking royalty: Prince Charles takes a turn on the dancefloor with Lisa Shannon, left, while the Duchess of Cornwall strutted her stuff with Sam Johnson, right

Royal rumba: The dancefloor is called Dance-O-Mat, created by the charitable trust Gap Filler, which has coin operated lighting and sound courtesy of a washing machine that plays tunes from an mp3 player

One step beyond: Prince Charles had a quicker turn of pace then his wife and twirled his partner Lisa Shannon around then grabbed both her hands

On the move: The heir to the throne danced cheek to cheek with Ms Shannon and laughed as they pulled apart then twirled her around again as he showed off his skills

After a few moments Camilla looked over to her husband who was watching from the sidelines and said 'Come on darling you’ve got to dance too'.

But it was Lisa Shannon, 57, a psychology student from Christchurch who seized the moment and asked the heir to the throne if he wanted to take a turn.

Charles had a quicker turn of pace then his wife and twirled his partner around then grabbed both her hands.

The heir to the throne danced cheek to cheek with Ms Shannon and laughed as they pulled apart then twirled her around again as he showed off his skills.

Dancing Duchess: The Duchess of Cornwall was the first to take to the dancefloor after she accepted an invitation from Sam Johnson

Taking a twirl: Mr Johnson is an undergraduate who was widely praised for organising a student volunteer army to help in the aftermath of the devastating natural disaster

Magic moves: The Duchess of Cornwall shows her fleetfooted skills to the sounds of some Big Band music

Ms Shannon was out of breath after the impromptu dance lesson from the Prince and said: 'If you don’t ask you don’t get, I just saw him standing there looking a bit lonely and I thought I’d ask him to dance.'

The 57-year-old was impressed by his masterful presence on the dancefloor: 'He led and I followed and I don’t usually follow, but he was definitely in charge.'

The royal couple's twirl on the dancefloor came after they visited a shopping area of Christchurch city centre to see how retailers and independent business forced out of their premises by the earthquake have set up home in renovated cargo ship containers.

The Re:Start project has seen the large metal boxes brightly painted, fitted with doors and windows and stacked up to create temporary retails spaces.

Energetic: Ms Shannon was out of breath after the impromptu dance lesson from the Prince

Having fun: Ms Shannon said she was impressed by the Prince's masterful presence on the dancefloor: 'He led and I followed and I don't usually follow, but he was definitely in charge'

Larking about: The royal couple's twirl on the dancefloor came after they met survivors of the natural disaster

Follow me: The Prince leads an excited Ms Shannon across the makeshift dancefloor in the Christchurch shopping centre

Shoppers mobbed the royals as they walked along Cashel Street meeting retailers in their new homes.

A reminder of the earthquake loomed nearby - a large building being torn down by mechanical equipment.

Survivors of the natural disaster had earlier told the Prince and Duchess their harrowing stories during a reception at Christchurch City Council offices.

The royal couple privately met around 20 people who had been badly injured when buildings collapsed during the 6.3 magnitude earthquake which struck at 12.51pm on February 22, last year.

Widespread damage resulted especially in central Christchurch and its eastern suburbs as the quake's epicentre was close to the middle of the city and buildings had been weakened by the 2010 quake.

On duty: The Duchess of Cornwall waves to wellwishers as the couple were given a Maori welcome at the Christchurch City Council house

Enjoying the moment: The Duchess of Cornwall shares a private moment with her husband, Prince Charles at the Maori welcome at the Christchurch City Council in Christchurch

Nuzzling up: Prince Charles receives a tradition hongi greeting from a Maori elder on arrival to Christchurch City Council building

Nosey: The Royal couple are in New Zealand on the last leg of a Diamond Jubilee that takes in Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand

Serious side: The Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall attend the Victoria Clock ceremony where the Prince's letter to the city after the 2010 earthquake was placed in a time capsule

More than half the people killed were in the six-storey Canterbury Television Building, which collapsed and caught fire.

Bev Edwards, 54, a nurse from Christchurch is now a paraplegic in a wheelchair after a cafe roof collapsed on her while she was having lunch with her mother.

Ms Edwards said: 'I was in a cafeteria deemed to be safe but the building next door fell sideways on to it and the roof came in.

'I knew I had broken my back and I was eventually carried out on a door used as a stretcher. The lady at a table next to me was killed and my mother sat opposite me and was able to walk out.

'It's incredibly important the Prince came to meet us, we're not people that died, we're here, but there hasn't been a lot of recognition for the seriously injured.'

Charles and Camilla's visit to Christchurch came on the last day of their Diamond Jubilee tour to mark the Queen's 60-year reign that saw them visit Australia and Papua New Guinea.

VIDEO: Prince Charles shows he's still got the moves at 64 after he accepts an invite to dance from a student in Christchurch