Cheers and some jeers for Queen

Residents stood on windowsills and benches to catch a glimpse of the Royal couple as they went walkabout.

A clap of thunder greeted Her Majesty, who was wearing a purple coat and matching hat, as she made her way towards the crowds gathered around the Pavilion Buildings.

A pack of anti-hunt campaigners jeered at the visitors but the Duke walked into the midst of the demonstrators and wished them a good afternoon.

Staff at Lloyds TSB bank abandoned their counters and were craning out of windows for a better view. Al Duomo restaurant was decked out with Union flag bunting and a row of Italian flags.

Julia McCarthy-Fox was with her four-year-old son, Zachary, who has already seen the Queen 30 times.

She said: "The first time the Queen saw him he was 13-weeks-old. She recognises him now and always comments on how he has grown.

"When he had just started toddling, he gave her flowers himself for the first time and she said 'Oh, now he's up and walking, isn't that sweet?'

"This time when she saw him she said 'Oh, he's grown up so quickly'."

Another ardent royalist was Bernadette Skinner, armed with a Union Flag.

She said: "We used to live near the airport in London so every time the Queen went on a foreign visit we would go along and welcome her home when she got back. I must have seen her dozens of times."

The Queen also was given a watercolour painting by artist Alexander Telfer during her visit.

Before her visit to the Pavilion, which was lit with log fires and candles as it would have been in the 19th Century when it was the Prince Regent's stamping ground, the Queen visited the Corn Exchange.

The grand hall played host to a reception of at least 300 people, including children from the city's circus school.

The imposing space was lit up with a vivid slash of colour from the Prestonville Millennium Quilts, which were created by 600 children in 1999.

Sara Cook, who co-ordinated the project, said: "We had no idea how popular the quilts would be and we are delighted they have received royal attention."

Her daughter Eleanor was one of the children whose faces featured on the quilt and one of three who got to speak to Her Majesty.

Together with fellow Stanford Infant School pupils Sam Moore and Isobel Fraser, Eleanor explained to the Queen how the quilt had been put together.

Her Majesty was impressed with the antics of the circus school children, who had all taken part in a performance of the Our Town story at the Millennium Dome.

Riley Waller, of Varndean School, and Woody Faulkner, of Dorothy Stringer School, strutted around the reception on 3ft stilts.

The 13-year-olds said they were not worried about toppling over on to the Queen because they were very confident on the stilts after six months' practise.

Riley said: "We have performed on the seafront in front of 3,000 people and that was more nerve-wracking. If it's a windy day outside, you can sometimes feel you might blow over but it's safe in here."

The Queen declined the offer of a turn on the stilts, according to Woody. He said: "I offered her a go, but she didn't seem to fancy it."

One group of children from the after-school circus group performed on stage in front of the Queen.

Leo Cutting, 13, of Blatchington Mill School, Kristy Dickson, 12, and Judith Gordon, also 12, both from Hove Park School, and 13-year-old Katie Nuscato, who goes to Cardinal Newman School, all performed circus tricks.

Musicians from the Our Town show, which was voted one of the top five at the Millennium Dome, were also present at the reception.

Robert Heasman, 19, played the trumpet and Ben Sarfas, 17, played altosaxophone. Both hope to be professional musicians.

Her Majesty also talked to people from the anti-victimisation unit which was set up by the Home Office, the black and minority ethnic community partnership and the Sussex Refugee Association.

Mbye Sohna, an advocate for victims of racial harassment, said the Queen's visit would help to highlight work being carried out to combat racism in the city.

Mr Sohna wore a spectacular traditional African outfit for the occasion, with a white hat and billowing white robe.

He said he had first seen Queen Elizabeth in his home country, The Gambia, when both of them were much younger.

Mr Sohna, who has lived in Brighton for six years, said racism in the city was hidden but still a problem.

The Duke of Edinburgh joined Her Majesty towards the end of the Corn Exchange reception.

He spoke to retired squadron leader Lewis Brandon about the former pilot's wartime days in the RAF.

Mr Brandon, 89, brought along a photograph of himself at a parade in 1948, when he met the Duke for the first time.

He said: "Prince Philip was very interested to see the picture. He said we both looked very different in it."

The theme of change was also brought up by centenarian Olive Scarratt.

The 100-year-old, who is deaf and uses a wheelchair, spoke to the Queen about how life was completely different in Brighton and Hove now compared to when she was a little girl.

After lunch at the Royal Pavilion, she was presented with a posy by 11-year-old Peter Onley.

Peter, of Milner Road, Brighton, was chosen by staff at the city's Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital to give the bouquet when he was hospitalised there with chicken pox.

The Queen spent about ten minutes walking among people as they huddled away from the rain.

Before she came out for the walkabout session, she was greeted by a group of infants from St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Brighton.

The five and six-year-olds could hardly contain their excitement as they jumped up and down with their flags.

James Dykes, five, said: "I'm so excited I'm past over excited!"

His classmate Andrew Jones, also five, said he was looking forward to seeing the Queen because she was so rich.

He said: "I wonder where she keeps all her money? I bet she has a really, really big purse."