Queen Camilla pulled a perfect pint of Guinness during a visit to a village pub in Northern Ireland today, but insisted that King Charles was the real expert.

She was given a round of applause by staff as she held up the 'superb' pint at The Parson's Nose in Hillsborough.

'It's a bit early to drink. I'll leave it here until later,' she laughed, as an aide jokingly asked her for some pork scratchings.

The King and Queen went their separate ways as they embarked on their second day of a three-day visit to Northern Ireland. 

While the King visited the popular seaside town of Newcastle, County Down, the Queen enjoyed a stroll through the village of Hillsborough, just 12 miles from Belfast, and home to Hillsborough Castle.

She marvelled at the number of local businesses packed into the small village and said she was delighted to finally visit having stayed so many times 'just up the road' at the castle, the Royal family's official residence in Northern Ireland..

Her first stop was The Parson's Nose, where she met various members of staff including managers, chefs and waitresses. Told that waitress Ellie, 19, had worked there for three years, she joked: 'Gosh, you must have come in your pushchair.'

She appeared surprised that the restaurant could cater for 200 diners, saying: 'Gosh, that's huge.'

As the Queen approached the bar, she was shown three pints of Guinness that had been started by a member of staff.

'He's done all the work,' she laughed as she was handed a glass. 'I'm not quite the expert, my husband pulls a very good pint.'

Nonetheless, the Queen impressed bar staff with her effort, before leaving it on the bar, saying: 'I hope somebody's going to enjoy this.'

She then met representatives from various local businesses, including pubs, cafes, bakeries, clothes shops and butchers, asking how long they had been based in the village and how business was going.

The Queen told Andrea Lucas, owner of All Active Pilates and Physio: 'I used to do some dancing but I've taken to doing ballet for old people. It's called the Silver Swans.'

Chatting to Sandra Corkin, who founded Oasis Travel, she asked: 'Are people whizzing about all over the place?'

Ms Corkin told her that it was good to get away for wellbeing, prompting the Queen to reply: 'I couldn't agree more. We all need a bit of vitamin D.' She asked: 'What's the most go-to place?'

Told it was cruises, she said in an apparent reference to the outbreak of hantavirus on a Dutch cruise ship: 'Some of these places seem to attract some rather strange viruses, don't they?'

The Queen later told jeweller Jill Graham: 'I've always thought that would be a lovely job to do.'

She asked a mother and daughter duo who work together if they argued, adding: 'I think every mum and daughter has their moments.'

'I can't believe so much is packed into a small village,' she told another local resident as she left. 'I can see why people come here.'

The Queen's next stop was grocer ER Wilson, where she said the strawberries looked 'very tempting' and admired the flowers.

'Such a lovely village, I'm just up the road,' she told one member of staff. 'So you know everything that's going on? That's what's so nice, everybody must know everybody.'

Outside, children from a local primary school serenaded the Queen with a version of A Million Dreams from the film The Greatest Showman.

'Really lovely, thank you very much,' she said afterwards before shaking hands with the throng of local residents who had gathered to meet her.

'Hello Queen,' one child told her. 'Good morning,' she replied with a smile.

'It's very nice to come and see a bit of the village,' she told others as she shook many hands, stroked dogs and said hello to babies.

The Queen wished Amelia, who was wearing a birthday crown, a happy ninth birthday and asked if she was going to have some cake later. She also met two-year-old twin boys, saying of her own 16-year-old twin grandsons, Gus and Louis Lopes: 'I've got twins, they're a bit bigger, my grandsons.'

The last stop was Arthur's Café, where the Queen was introduced to staff and regular customers. Patsy England told the Queen that she ran a local clothes shop for more than 20 years.

'Now you come and sit here and enjoy yourself,' the Queen said.

Told that some of her own staff visit the cafe, she said: 'Oh they do, they do. They have a jolly good time.'

Meanwhile, the King laughed off an unfortunate incident when a seagull let a little something slip on his jacket during a visit to the seaside.

Charles, 77, was leaving a food bank project in Newcastle, County Down, in Northern Ireland when the bird defecated from the sky, leaving a noticeable white smear on the back of his suit.

A royal aide discreetly pointed it out and offered him his overcoat to put on, but His Majesty smilingly waved the offer off and insisted plunging into the huge, cheering crowds for an impromptu walkabout as they had been waiting for so long.

When one member of the public politely asked him whether he knew he had bird poo on his jacket, the King laughed and said: 'No, it's fine. At least it didn't land on my head!'

The King was in the picturesque town at the foot of Slieve Donard, the highest peak in Northern Ireland, to highlight crucial local community projects.

His first stop was the Newcastle Community Cinema, founded in 2008 by a group of local film enthusiasts which now sits at the heart of community life.

As he arrived at the Box Office he was given a special 'VIP' ticket by Vera Edelstein, who was manning the booth.

'Is that for me?' he beamed. 'That's very generous of you.' He also asked about the recent films shown and how popular different films were.

He was then invited into the screening box to help start the playing of a short trailer for a recent film A Quiet Love about a real life deaf couple and their lives through the Troubles.

Meeting John and Agnes Carberry afterwards, he told them : 'You were very courageous. When did you meet? At school? Oh childhood sweethearts. Lovely. '

He also met Northern Irish actor Ian Mclhinney, who has starred in Derry Girls and Game of Thrones.

Afterwards he headed to the Donard Methodist Church where he met volunteers from The Pantry Food Bank, giving them the giggles as he he examined the contents of their boxes.

He seized on a toilet roll and declared: 'Very important.'

The group provides food for around 52 families a month and fear demand growing with rising heating oil prices this winter.

'You are managing?' he enquired.

'Do they mention who they think will need help? You've got some good eggs. Terrific. And do you get good feedback. Do people come and collect or do you visit? There are lots of delicious pastas and things. Things that families need. '

He was then invited to help pack a box that will go to a single person this week.

He carefully and tidily placed in bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, a toothbrush and toothpaste.

'I'm sure there is a special order they go in,' the King mused.

'Oh that needs to lie down properly.'

'Very, very important,' he added placing more toilet roll in.

'You are all very, very special people. What you do is so important. '

After meeting community groups including the local RNLI and Mountain Rescue, he embarked on a walkabout, people shouting his name and saying 'God Save The King'.

Among them was Rosemary Allan, who is about to celebrate her 102nd birthday, and schoolboy George Murdoch, 11, who had brought a box of freshly-laid eggs to give to the monarch.

One member of the crowd said: 'Welcome to Northern Ireland, Your Majesty, thank you for coming to see us.'

Another member of the crowd shouted: 'We love you Charles.'

A third told him: 'This is so special. I will never forget it. The last monarch to visit was King George V, so it's long overdue. We are hugely grateful.'

Dressed in the Clever Crepe Finchley Coat from The Fold, which retails for £495, and feather-print dress by Fiona Clare, Camilla paired her stylish look with a turquoise and diamond shamrock-shaped brooch previously owned by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Camilla's dress is believed to be bespoke, made with the Amherst Blue Silk Satin by Liberty Fabrics. The luxury design was inspired by a feather collection and drawn from a Liberty scarf designed in 1967.

To accessorise, Her Majesty opted for the Fabergé Imperial Impératrice Tassel Earrings, which she previously wore on a visit to Middlesborough in February last year. 

For her second jam-packed day of engagements to several local businesses, Camilla selected a pair of trusty black heels to provide some much-needed support and comfort.