Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles went mask-free today during a visit to Exeter Cathedral - the first stop on their three-day tour of the South West.
The Prince of Wales, 72, and the Duchess of Cornwall, who turned 74 on Saturday, were all smiles as they chatted to crowds and were greeted by lord lieutenant Julian Tagg.
Once inside the cathedral, Charles and Camilla spoke to members of its choir, none of whom were wearing masks.
Camilla looked stylish in a navy blue dress adorned with colourful feathers, while the prince donned a pale grey suit with a jazzy tie emblazoned with zebras and his orange-rimmed Serengeti sunglasses.
The royal couple will visit several sites in Devon today, beginning in Exeter to celebrate it becoming a UNESCO City of Literature.
The Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles kicked off their three-day tour of the South West with a visit to Exeter Cathedral today
Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles went mask-free today during a visit to Exeter Cathedral - the first stop on their three-day tour of the South West
Camilla looked stylish in a navy blue dress adorned with colourful feathers, teamed with tan court shoes as she spoke to members of the choir
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales pictured departing Exeter Cathedral this morning
The couple were all smiles as they chatted to crowds that had gathered for their visit and were greeted by lord lieutenant Julian Tagg
Yesterday it was revealed that Charles will only wear a mask when Government advice dictates that he should do so. Camilla is also known to dislike masks
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales meets and chats to unmasked members of the public during a visit to Exeter Cathedral
The royal couple looked delighted to be able to interact with the public again without the requirement for face coverings
As Charles is patron of the Exeter Cathedral Development appeal, the place of worship was the first stop on their list, followed by Devon Wildlife Trust, Exeter City Community Trust and the Met Office.
While outside they spoke to the crowds, where Charles jokingly asked if they were all waiting to get into the Cathedral. Caroline Connolly, who is on holiday from Northern Ireland, spoke to the prince and said their encounter was 'so unexpected'.
'He seemed very nice,' she added. 'He asked if he was holding us all up and we were all waiting to go into the Cathedral. Such a thrill.'
Inside Charles and Camilla learned about the restoration of the grand building before meeting community groups that work closely with the prince's passion for the environment. The Bishop of Exeter said of their visit: 'It's been a triumph.'
Founded in 1050, the Cathedral continues to offer daily Christian worship and choral music, alongside its roles as a community hub, heritage destination and venue for concerts and events.
It is home to an extensive library and archive, housing important treasures such as the Exeter Book, a famous dark age poetry book written on parchment thought to be the world's oldest surviving book of English literature.
Joe Milne, the cathedral's stonemason, told Devon Live: 'We showed [Charles] the clay maquettes which are basically grotesques that will hang in the Cathedral.
'He seemed really interested. I've met him before when I was a student at Weymouth college and he's always interested in historical objects.'
Following their visit to the cathedral, the couple made their way to Exeter's new bus station where they met with transport workers, council leaders and 'Net Zero Heroes' involved in Exeter City Council's ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030
Charles was treated to a tour of a restored vintage bus from 1961 and Stagecoach's latest model by veteran bus driver Mike Prowse
The Prince of Wales stood beside the number 3 Devon General bus which has been restored during his and Camilla's tour of the South West
The Prince of Wales during a visit to St Sidwell's bus depot in Exeter to meet with transport workers and the 'Net Zero Heroes'
Charles unveiled a plaque to commemorate his visit to Exeter Bus Station today during his and Camilla's tour of the South West
The Prince of Wales admires punnets of strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants on a stall during a visit to St Sidwell's bus depot in Exeter
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales departing Exeter Cathedral, where choir members said goodbye outside
Duchess of Cornwall is presented with a bunch of posys by the youngest member of the Cathedral's choir on her departure from Exeter Cathedral
As Prince Charles is patron of the Exeter Cathedral Development appeal, the place of worship was the first stop on their list
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall views some of the Cathedral's historic treasures including the Exeter Book during a visit to Exeter Cathedral
The visit celebrates the city's designation as a UNESCO City of Literature and launch of The Royal College of Nursing's Prince of Wales Nursing Cadet Scheme in
