THE people of Marlborough gave a warm welcome to Prince Charles' partner Camilla Parker-Bowles when she joined Friday's royal visit.

But, although townsfolk were pleased to see Mrs Parker-Bowles, infamously described by Princess Diana before her death as the third person in her marriage, they still do not want to see her as queen.

Local men said they were prepared to see them married, but the ladies of the town were almost unanimously against the idea.

Susan Smith, who works for Free's the undertakers, said: "They shouldn't be married, but if they do want to wed, then he shouldn't be king. It is just not right."

Another Marlborough resident, Gwen Southam, said: "They should just go off and live together. But I don't want to see Queen Camilla."

Mrs Parker-Bowles was at the celebrations as a trustee of the Bobby Van Trust, a charity that makes the homes of elderly and vulnerable people secure after they have been the victims of crime.

Micky Graham, also from Marlborough, said: "It is good to see she has her own interests that are completely different to his. I think this is the right way of doing things. They have met up informally and then they went about their own business again.

"They should be married. They are grown adults and should be able to do what they like. But as for her becoming queen I don't think so."

Mrs Parker-Bowles was dropped off at the Merchant's House in High Street at 11.20am, just as the prince was concluding his visit to Marlborough College, before his walkabout in the High Street.

At the Merchant's House he was met by Sir John Sykes, chairman of the museum trustees, and ushered inside.

After being shown round the 17th century house, and seeing the work being done to restore it, he emerged with Mrs Parker-Bowles.

The couple posed for photographs before Mrs Parker-Bowles introduced the prince to Alan Weston, operations manager for the Bobby Van.

Mrs Parker-Bowles has been a trustee for about four years and has organised fundraising dinner parties at the prince's home Highgrove in aid of the Bobby Van Trust for the last three of them.

Mr Weston said: "Mrs Parker-Bowles takes her responsibilities for the Bobby Van very seriously. One in 20 of elderly victims have a chance of being victimised again and one in four within seven days of the original incident.

"By reacting very quickly after the crime, we can virtually eliminate the chances of them being hit again."

The Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust has helped 5,000 victims since it was set up in 1998 and has never had a repeat burglary. The Wiltshire scheme was the first in the country and has been the model for the 11 other projects that have since been set up elsewhere in the country.

The prince was interested to see inside one of the Bobby Vans and was shown the wide range of security devices fitted to the homes of elderly victims.

Then he and Mrs Parker Bowles parted company, he to a reception at the town hall while she was whisked off in the back of the black Audi in which she had arrived.