Wednesday was a day Yass man Peter Walker had been waiting for for many years.
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Back in 1972, he was a member of the Canberra Polo Club, and was lucky enough to play against Prince Philip during his and Queen Elizabeth's visit to Canberra. In fact, the Prince rode Mr Walker's Pony, Buttons.
When Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla visited the Arboretum on Wednesday, Mr Walker got the chance to show the prince the photo of himself and Prince Philip battling it out on the field.
"I told him that I played opposite his father and he said 'Well it's a wonder you survived," Mr Walkers said.
As co-director of Yass sheep breeders Woolaroo Merino Stud, he wore a woollen tie for the memorable moment.
His daughter, Mary, said Charles' support of Australia's wool industry was a "great inspiration".
"He has also promoted art, architecture and innovation in Australia, and I'm in the younger generation and I'm from the county and I'm an artist, so it's a great opportunity to be part of this," she said.
The event was also an honour for Yass glass maker, Peter Crisp, who apparently made a home delivery of tableware "straight into their [Charles' and Camilla's] private drawing room" a few years ago.
"It was a great privilege," Mr Crisp said.
"They were very relaxed... Prince Charles has a very strong fondness of Australia."
Excitement was beaming from the faces of Giralang Primary School students, who accompanied Charles and Camilla on their walk through the Canberra Discovery garden.
The royal appearance was kept as a surprise for year four student Callan Clarke - only revealed minutes before the arrival.
"I knew I was coming here for Remembrance Day to remember the people who have sacrificed their lives for this island," he said.
"But mum and dad said the prince is also coming."
"On an awesome scale of zero to 100 per cent, it would be 100 per cent. It's amazing that I'm going to see someone who is probably going to become king of England."
Earlier in the day at the War Memorial, primary students made do with plastic ponchos but walked in soggy school socks and sneakers for their part in the Remembrance Day formalities.
Camilla accepted small bouquets of flowers from children at the fence line then ducked into a black BMW that promptly departed. Prince Charles moved more slowly through the crowd behind her.
Christine Smith from Bathurst just wanted to wish Prince Charles a happy birthday (for the 14th) if she had the chance. Despite the trying circumstances keeping all but the keenest away, the pair were not her favourite royals.
"No actually, I'm just completing off the set," she said. "I spent the last two Easters with their two sons so now I've got to spend Remembrance Day with Charles and Camilla. I've seen them, and got quite a few photos."
Back at the fence, the rain unceasing, one mother said: "Aren't we all crazy?"
She was one of the 150-odd people who hung around after the ceremony to meet and greet royalty.
With people only one or two deep at the fence, monarchists nonetheless enthusiastically handed out plastic Australian flags.
Chairman of the Australian Monarchist League ACT, Matthew Sait, thought Canberrans gave the couple a warm welcome even if the weather didn't.
"It's hard to tell how many people were actually there under all of the umbrellas... but for being in the rain and during the week I think it was a great turn out to welcome the Prince and Duchess to Canberra and wish them all the best," Mr Sait said.
"I hope we have many visits, both now and when the Prince is King."
