The Countess of Wessex is presented with a posy by, left to right, India Waterhouse, Eden Latter and Catrin Jones. (0801248)

THERE were no crowns and tiaras, but pupils at the Bailiwick’s smallest school were still excited about their royal visitors.

‘Before they came we Googled them to show the children they weren’t going to arrive in robes and crowns holding orbs because we have been doing a lot of Shakespeare,’ said Mary Carey, who said the tension waiting for the earl and countess to arrive was almost unbearable.

Year 6 pupils from St Andrew’s Primary School were in Herm camping and waited outside to speak to the royal couple.

Many of the students were as fascinated by the security entourage which surrounded the pair, asking if they were secret agents or spies.

Teacher Claire Corbet said she had heard a rumour their trip would coincide with the visit, but they weren’t sure they would see them until they were invited to wait outside the school.

‘We abandoned our orienteering exercise to come here and see them,’ she said.

The pupils told this to Prince Edward as he arrived at the school.

‘Did you lose anyone?’ he asked.

Inside the school the countess was presented with a posy of flowers by six-year-old Eden Latter.

She, along with Ryan Jones and India Waterhouse, both 5, acted out a scene from Romeo and Juliet to their royal guests with puppets and sets they had made out of shoeboxes.