The Prince of Wales today recalled his days as an actor after watching youngsters perform at the oldest and most complete working Georgian theatre in Britain, located in Richmond, North Yorkshire.

The Prince arrived with his wife, The Duchess of Cornwall, for one of the royal couple's first visits to Yorkshire since their wedding.

The couple were given a guided tour of the Georgian Theatre Royal. After being shown around and greeted by the volunteer stage manager, Jim Russell, they watched a play written by Amanda Heitler, one of the youth theatre tutors, especially for the occasion.

The six cast members, aged 15 to 17, performed the 15 minute play, entitled The Legacy of Butler, in which the spirit of the theatre founder, Samuel Butler, welcomed the youngsters and encouraged them to take the theatre, which was founded in 1788, into the future.

The Prince and the Duchess later appeared on stage to congratulate the youngsters and to unveil a plaque commemorating their visit.

Charles told the audience of about 100 local dignitaries and community leaders that the worst thing he could remember from his days acting were the auditions.

He told them how he had performed on stage as a member of the Dryden Society, while at Trinity College, Cambridge. He said that somehow, though, he had managed to get through the audition.

He spoke to the audience about performing on stage in such a small theatre and said: ''One of the nights an entire party, two bus loads of Japanese, came into the theatre and not one of them understood a single word.''

The audience cheered and stood to their feet and he then unveiled the plaque.

Charles said: ''Can I just express the joy of both my wife and myself to have this opportunity to come to Richmond to help celebrate the very important occasion of the 850th anniversary of the charter of this wonderful town?

''Apart from anything else it is always wonderful to come to Yorkshire, but above all else I wanted to congratulate the admirable Lady Crathorne for being such a marvellous chair during the restoration process (of the theatre).''

Earlier the royal couple were greeted by about 400 well wishers who lined the streets of the market town on the bright but breezy morning.

Ten soldiers from The School of Infantry, at Catterick Garrison, and the Green Howards regiment performed a salute outside the theatre as the royal couple arrived.

Well-wishers waved Union Flags and cheered as the Duchess, a wearing pale pink jacket and skirt, stepped from the car, with Charles in a grey suit.

Six-year-old Alice Goff offered her a white rose as she arrived. She said the Duchess had thanked her for the flower before meeting the other well-wishers.

Alice's mother, Wendy, of Richmond, said: ''We've been looking forward to it for a long time. Alice got the day off school especially to go and wanted to buy her a posy but we saw the white rose and thought it was ideal.''

Later the royal couple toured the town's farmers' market, sampling the pork and cheese on offer.

Allan Ellis, of Rushyford Game, said Charles offered him grey squirrel and muntjac deer from his estate.

Mr Ellis said: ''He remembered me from when I'd met him before, and offered me some squirrels and the deer.

''He wanted to know when I was going to start supplying game to London and I told him I'd started a trial a month ago. It's going well.''

Another stall holder, Nigel Davison, of Ings Meadows and Nurseries, said: ''A visit like this is marvellous support for the farmers' market. It takes farming out of the doldrums a bit.''

Mandy Reed, of The Swaledale Cheese Company, said the Duchess had tried a sample of their blue cheese and had said it was ''delicious''.

She added that the Duchess would be given a hamper with a selection of products from the Northern Dales Farmers' Market to take home.