THE Queen met the Chancellor of Oxford University, a bishop, dons and undergraduates yesterday, writes REG LITTLE.

But no-one looked more at ease in royal company than seven-year-old Jamie Mold. He was among the first to welcome the Queen and Prince Philip to University College to lead the college's 750th birthday celebrations.

And Jamie, of Hamble Drive, Abingdon, calmly chatted to the Queen as fellows and the Master of Univ Lord Butler looked on.

Jamie, a pupil at Rush Common School, Abingdon, was given the job because his parents, grandfather and great-grandfather all worked at the college. His proud dad Steven, 37, who still works there as a carpenter and joiner, said: "I am so proud of him. He woke up early but otherwise he carried on like it was just an ordinary day.

Jamie, whose grandad was college treasurer and whose mum Sue works in the kitchens, said: "Everyone at school has been going on about it . But I wasn't nervous - well, maybe just a little, before I met her and handed her a posy." Dicky Chalmers, 20, who is reading English, was among the Students in costume from the forthcoming production of Cyrano de Bergerac. He said: "They both wanted to know what had happened to the big nose. Prince Philip joked: 'You will really have to add quite a lot to your bonce, won't you?'"

The Royal Visit began with the Queen and Prince Philip being greeted in a wind-swept Radcliffe Square by the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Hugo Brunner, and Oxford's new Lord Mayor, Val Smith.

Mrs Smith said: "After the Mayor-making it has been good to start off at the very top."

The royal couple also went on a walkabout across Radcliffe Square to the Bodleian.

JOKEY DUKE ON FORM

The Duke of Edinburgh laughed and joked with students at Oxford Brookes University - 36 years after he officially opened the main Headington campus in 1963. With overcast skies and a sprinkling of rain Prince Philip visited the science and engineering laboratories.

Students are studying how yeast reacts in beer and, as part of the visit, he was invited to taste a number of beers.

He asked them what jobs they were going to do and quipped: "Nobody's going to work for Heineken here, then?"

Asked if he wanted to taste some of the beers, he said: "Not all that lot!"

He met Dr Katherine Smart, who became the first woman to win the Institute of Brewing Cambridge Prize earlier this year.

And he was given the opportunity to look at various slides under a microscope.

He joked: "I can't tell the difference between what I am looking at and the spots in front of my eyes!"

The royal visitor then talked to various students before going in to meet undergraduates in the School of Engineering in the automotive library where he was shown a Tiger kit car and a racing car being built as part of their course. Before leaving he was presented with a tankard by postgraduate students Dawn Rodgers and Christopher Powell.

NOISY 'HELLO' FROM KIDS

Children waving streamers gave Her Majesty a noisy welcome to the East Oxford Education Complex.

Nursery school pupils Kieran Jones and Marukh Mahmood, both aged four, presented the Queen with a posy, helped by Zetta Hilsdon, aged 73.

Inside, pupils from East Oxford First School performed an Indian dance and youth workers from the Wize Up project explained how they provide street-wise information to teenagers.

At the complex's all-weather pitch, the Queen watched the Asian Youth Project Football Team enjoy a training session. ROYALS MEET LOYAL WORKERS

University College brought together a group of college workers with nearly 500 years' service between them.

After their walkabout in Radcliffe Square and Catte Street, the Queen and Prince Philip joined 450 guests at a reception in the Master's Garden.

Among those to welcome her was former college gardener Vince Allen, 91, who lives at Oseney Court, Botley, and Cecil Cooper, 95, of Blackbird Leys, Oxford.

Mr Cooper said: "Next time I hear from Her Majesty it will probably be a telegram."

The Queen also met brothers Bob Morris, a scout, and his brother Derek, ex-works department, who have notched up a century of college service between them.

Story date: Saturday 22 May

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