Dunedin turns on the sun for Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall

Prince Charles went back to the future, donning a virtual realty headset to race down the Shotover River, before winning an America's Cup race in Dunedin today.

It was an action packed afternoon at Dunedin's Animation Research for the Prince of Wales, where staff showed off their work alongside three other tech companies.

That included live computer graphics of the cricket test between New Zealand and Australia, Formula One, and an America's Cup simulator.

Prince Charles also donned a headset to experience Queenstown's Shotover Jet but the adrenalin rush lasted only 20seconds before removing the equipment.

That jetboat trip featured the same driver who drove Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge when they visited New Zealand last year.

Ian Taylor, of Animation Research, said Prince Charles enjoyed the America's Cup simulator, winning the head-to-head battle after narrowly avoiding a collision.

"He had a good navigator helping him."

Prince Charles was also shown an animated video showing how the "internet superhighway" changed the city's fortunes.

That video started with a history of Dunedin being the city where a ship of refrigerated meat opened up export markets to Britain.

Taylor said hi tech companies were now accessing those markets from Dunedin, thanks to the city's recent Gigatown win.

"What appealed to him was this idea that you can do this stuff around the world wherever you choose," Taylor said.

A royal train ride

Dunedin turned on a sunny day as crowds turned out to welcome Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, to the city .

The royal couple, who winged their way down from Wellington after a couple of engagements in the capital this morning, arrived on time at Dunedin Airport to be greeted by just a handful of supporters.

However, local enthusiasm was more in evidence along the main street of Mosgiel, where up to 700 people, many of them schoolchildren, were waiting to catch a view of the pair.

The royals went from the airport to Mosgiel Railway Station where they were greeted by Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull.

The Prince and Duchess spent 10 minutes meeting the crowd of more than 500 people who came to greet them in Mosgiel.

Little Sophie presented the royal couple with the gifts. Her mother says it was a spur of the moment decision to organise it this morning.

The train departed on a 30 minute journey to Dunedin railway station.

On the train, the Prince and Duchess are accompanied by Mr Cull. They talked to long-serving volunteers from the Otago Train Excursion Trust.

The royal couple were greeted by a crowd of about 1500 people at the Dunedin Railway Station.

Locals of all ages lined the barricades along the 300m walk from the station to Toitu Dunedin Settlers Museum.

The prince and duchess shook hands and talked with fans the whole way.

Afterwards, those spoken to said they could not believe their luck to get to shake hands and say a few words.

Royal Couple meet some of Dunedin's oldest settler families

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall arrived at the Toitu Otago Settlers Museum in Dunedin, and were welcomed with a haka.

Prof John Broughton, Associate Dean (Maori) of the University of Otago noted the success of the All Blacks at the Rugby World Cup when he welcomed the couple.

"With that in mind, Sir, I could not let the moment pass without presenting you with a World Cup pin."

After a waiata, the royal couple were led by Mr Cull through the museum to the Smith Gallery, where portraits of early settlers cover the walls.

On the way the pair expressed interest in a wharerau on display.

In the gallery they met descendants of those whose portraits were on the walls.

Prince Charles asked about a digital display that allowed museum visitors to find out more about the early settlers in the photographs.

About 150 people waited for the couple outside the museum, and clapped and waved as they left.

'I touched his hand. I'm going to sell it'

Prince Charles's visit to a Wellington secondary school today started with a fearsome haka and finished with a round of applause.

Selfies with the prince were a no-no, but many Tawa College pupils snapped him on their mobile phones as he made his way down rows of teenagers out of class for a royal glimpse.

He said hello to some, while others got a handshake."I touched his hand. I'm going to sell it for, like, a million dollars," said one boy.

A student gives the thumbs up. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The school's head pupils Joshua Nightingale, 18, and Briana Boele van Heasbroek, 18, greeted Charles and then showed him around the school.

Afterwards, Joshua said it was an honour to escort royalty.

Briana said the prince was "very chatty" and "very friendly".

"[He] wanted to say hi to everyone, which was just amazing."

Joshua said Charles was an "awesome person".

"He's very nice, kept the conversation, made it less awkward for us, made us less nervous."

As they prepared to welcome Charles there was much debate about whether they should curtsy.In the end, the pair settled on a handshake greeting.

"We knew we couldn't go wrong," Joshua said.

Students couldn't get enough of taking photos of the prince on their phones. Photo / Mark Mitchell

After the prince was welcomed he was taken to the assembly hall, where he was greeted with a haka.

A pupil said a few words in Maori and the choir performed before it was off to the school music unit.

Pupils played tunes in the background as Charles had a look at economics scholars showing off a range of organic shower and bath products. In class, the pupils learn the ins and outs of running a business.

Next it was off to the computer lab and then the sports gym, where pupils practised indoor cricket and rugby.

The prince asked about the difference between indoor and outdoor cricket and learned the indoor variety is played on artificial turf.

Outside Charles saw more sport demonstrations and a container showing off wool products.

After posing for photos with the whole school, he was off.

Dance class for Camilla

Dozens of the country's best dance and drama students sang their lungs out in a series of performances for Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in Wellington this morning

Te Whaea or "The Mother" is home to Toi Whakaari, the national drama school, and the New Zealand School of Dance.

The school embraced Maori customs and values in its teachings, drama director Christian Penny said, and also drew on British drama and dance heritage.

The Duchess of Cornwall was escorted into the Te Whaea theatre, past a contemporary dance class, dance studio and Pilates studio. She then viewed a classical ballet performance, of the Entree from Paquita.

Students from the national drama school and the New Zealand School of Dance. Photo / John Weekes

The Duchess then met some more of the performers at the school.

Student Jack Barry played the guitar for the performance of Pungawerewere, a song about a spider weaving a web and making connections.

Barry graduates next week with a Bachelor of Performing Arts, majoring in stage and screen.

He said he was very happy the school had welcomed Camilla, as her visit would highlight Toi Whakaari and The School of Dance.

"It's pretty awesome ... the arts are crucial to everyday life."

He said Camilla could have gone just about anywhere, so the students were honoured she chose to meet them.

Students Hannah Grace, Remma McArdle and Jay Hadfield also performed Pungawerewere.

The three students said Camilla didn't give much away, but they could tell she seemed pleased by the performance.

The duchess seemed to especially like Chloe Alderton's community art project, which was based on the latest adult colouring-in trend.

Camilla signed the project, to the students' delight.

There was a small group of onlookers outside, including Ruth and Wolffradt, a couple from the Baltic coast of Germany on holiday.

The bemused tourists initially thought an emergency or disaster had happened when they saw a large police presence.

But they stuck around after hearing Camilla was visiting, and said the performances inside sounded enjoyable.

"I would like to dance with those other people but I'm a senior. I'm a little bit excited to go in there and see if I can do a holiday course," Ruth said.

"We have no Royals of course," Wolffradt said.

This is Prince Charles' ninth trip to New Zealand. It's Camilla's second - they were last here in 2012.

Their visit also takes in Nelson, Dunedin, Ngaruawahia, New Plymouth and Auckland, before they fly out on Tuesday.