There were lots of fascinators and high heels to be seen at Brooklands Park on Monday as a crowd of 500 invited guests mingled, waiting for Their Royal Highnesses Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall to arrive at the Tea with Taranaki event.
Low cloud delayed the royal couple's arrival from Auckland for a couple of hours, but that didn't dampen the spirits of those waiting to meet them.
The 500 guests came from a range of backgrounds, the mayors of the three Taranaki districts were all present as were members of a variety of community groups as well as guests who had won their tickets in a Facebook competition run by New Plymouth District Council.
An equal number of royal fans stood along the barriers outside the event, patiently waiting for a glimpse of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. They were not disappointed, as the royal couple took their time walking to their car at the end of the event, stopping to talk to many in the crowd on the way.
One such fan was Nicole McKay, who gave Charles her five-month-old baby, Alba, to hold. "It was wonderful. I'm still shaking,"she said afterward.