Crowds turned out in their hundreds to welcome Princess Anne yesterday, as she arrived in not one, but two Oxfordshire towns.

Both visits, first to Charlbury in west Oxfordshire, and then to Abingdon, were to mark celebrations of Royal Charters granted centuries ago. The Princess Royal's first call was in Charlbury, where, dressed in a colourful blue, green and purple dress with a regal purple coat, she waved to well-wishers as she arrived at 9.30am in Church Street.

Children waving hand-painted flags and adults of all ages lined both sides of the road. It was the first royal visit in the town for 120 years, and was part of the celebrations for the town's 750th anniversary of its Royal Charter, allowing a weekly market and annual street fair to be held.

Princess Anne was handed a posy by three-year-old Zoe Dare from Kiddywinks Day Nursery. The little girl said: "She said 'thank-you'. It is the first time I've met a princess."

Kiddywinks Nursery manager Kelly Harley added: "We are only based across the road, so it was an ideal chance for them to come and see her."

She was welcomed by the Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire Malcolm Cochrane, West Oxfordshire District Council chairman Keith Stone, Charlbury Town Council chairman Nick Potter, and town clerk Roger Clarke.

She met members of the Charlbury Society, before being taken on a tour of Charlbury Museum.

She also looked at a display by the Arts Society about the street fair - which this year has a Charter theme and takes place today.

The Princess also unveiled a plaque designed by Charlbury resident Andy Hopkins. The brass plate was made in Witney.

Pupils from several schools ringed the Market Place in Abingdon as they waited for the Princess's arrival. Abingdon has been bedecked in bunting across the summer to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the granting of its Royal Charter.

But she first visited Abingdon School, which this year celebrates the tracing of its history of education in the town to the Benedictine monks. They founded the Abbey which, at the time, was at the height of its importance and the second largest in the country.

There she saw a new anniversary window in the school chapel, and was invited by headmaster Mark Turner to turn the first sod of a new £8m sports complex. Before leaving, in the company of the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Hugo Brunner, she was invited to unveil a plaque marking the anniversary.

The Princess Royal was greeted by the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, Peter Bickmore, to cheers from the crowd.

She witnessed one of the town's ancient traditions with a '450-bun' salute, as Mayor Peter Green, his wife Hilary, and fellow councillors threw exactly that number of currant buns.

The tradition began in 1760 to mark the coronation of King George III. Since then, bun throws have been held to mark special events, mostly in connection with Royal visits or anniversaries.

Princess Anne was handed a posy of flowers by nine-year-old Lucy Dunbar, a pupil of St Nicolas Primary School, whose friends also performed their version of The Bun Throwing Song.

Veteran councillor, Ewart Hemmings, 76, was singled out for a chat as a Freeman of the Town.

Mr Hemmings said: "She asked me if as a Freeman, everything was free, and I said no, but that I'd just had a knee replacement and that was free!"