Princes Charles and Camilla smiling after girl gives them a curtsey

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Jessica Fox, four, swept Charles and Camilla a very flamboyant curtsey
Moment came as they arrived at the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate
The couple were cheered by crowds of well-wishers during tour of show

Published: 11:09 EST, 14 July 2015 | Updated: 02:31 EST, 15 July 2015

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The Prince of Wales was left smiling this morning after being swept an unusually flamboyant curtsey by a four-year-old flower girl.

Arriving at the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate with the Duchess of Cornwall, Charles at first looked bemused but then smiled broadly as Jessica Fox completed the manoeuvre.

Jessica, who at one point bashfully hid her face in her skirt, had been practising for weeks, said her mother, and was 'very excited' about the prospect of meeting the royals.

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Good job: Four-year-old Jessica Fox prepares to curtsey to Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall

Impressed! Charles clearly thought the little girl had done an excellent job and smiled broadly

Very good: Miss Fox smiles up at Prince Charles who is holding the rose buttonhole she gave him

Practice: According to her mother Lynsay, Miss Fox had been practising her curtsies for weeks

'It's a once in a lifetime opportunity,' said Lynsay Fox. 'She's been practising her curtsies and is amazing at them now.'

Jessica, who first attended the show when she was just two weeks old, was helped by five-year-old Kate Donnelly and presented the couple with matching white rose buttonholes and posies.

Charles, who became patron of the show in 1998, and Camilla were there for the opening day of the event and spent three hours meeting delighted locals and exhibitors.

Billed as one of the UK's premier agricultural events, the Great Yorkshire Show, organised by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS), is expected to welcome 130,000 visitors over three days.

Today saw visitors to the 157th show wait patiently in the rain to greet the Prince and Duchess, the latter looking elegant in a tailored navy blue jacket.

The Prince spoke to a number of children as he toured the show and smilingly asked if they were missing school to attend.

Duchess of Cornwall greets goat at Great Yorkshire Show

On tour: Prince Charles inspects some of the cattle on parade at the Great Yorkshire Show

Have a pat: The Duchess of Cornwall pets a Dartmoor pony - the breed is native to the Devonshire moor

My kingdom for a horse! Camilla, long a fan of all things equine, looked smitten with the pony

Judge: The Duchess then inspected some of the goats lining up in the show ring

New friend: The animal-loving Duchess couldn't resist leaning down to pet a Swaledale ram

Cute: The Duchess leans in to inspect some of the goats on show at the Great Yorkshire Show

Some, among them pupils from Gillshill Primary School in Hull, were attending the event with classmates.

Ellie, Katey and Keeley, all aged 10, said: 'He said: "Are you skipping out of school?" but we said: "No, we're on a school trip with a few of our friends".'

During their tour of the food hall, Charles and Camilla were introduced to several local producers and sampled some of the delicacies on offer as they wandered through.

The Prince, who wore a YAS tie and carried a crook given to him by the Yorkshire Show in 1999, tried some Double Gloucester cheese from Delamere Dairy based in Knutsford, Cheshire, and asked about any cheese-making ventures close to his home.

He also took two bags of pork scratchings from the Rose Cottage Pantry, from Garton-on-the-Wolds, East Yorkshire.

Tucking in: Camilla was also treated to an icecream, which she ate while touring the show

Hello there: The Duchess bends down to say hello to a well-wisher's baby

All smiles: Charles was on cheerful form as he met the crowds at the Yorkshire agricultural show

Watching the action: Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in the President's Pavillion

Saying hello: Camilla chats to some of the delighted well-wishers who had turned out to see her

Shaking hands: Charles greets some of the members of the public who had waited for him in the rain

Vicki Hawksworth, who works for the company, said: 'He said he likes pork scratchings and loves us coming to the show every year.'

Charles also sampled some cider from the North Yorkshire-based Ampleforth Abbey.

Father Terence Richardson, prior of the monastery, said: 'He tried a good swig and said he found it very good, he enjoyed it.

'It was great fun meeting him, he was very interested in everything that was going on, it was a great privilege to meet him.'

Later, the royal couple parted ways with Charles visiting the forestry area while the Duchess took her seat in the Main Ring to watch some of the ridden and in-hand horse classes.

Charles also toured the cattle lines and visited the stand run by the Rare Breed Survival Trust of which he is royal patron.