WORCESTER people crowded the streets at this time 200 years ago to greet a son of their monarch (George III) when he paid a royal visit to the Faithful City.

The Journal reported the occasion: "On Monday evening last, His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland arrived in this city and was received with the acclamations of a great number of persons who had assembled.

"Considerable anxiety has since prevailed among all ranks of people to behold the son of our beloved Sovereign, and His Royal Highness has returned the attentions which have been paid to him with the most condescending affability.

"Yesterday morning, His Royal Highness viewed the highly improved China Manufactory of Messrs Chamberlains, with which he expressed himself much gratified, and afterwards visited their warehouse in High Street where he was pleased to favour the proprietors with a very liberal order.

"In a speech at the Town Hall (the Guildhall) His Royal Highness said he had long been acquainted with the loyalty and attachment of the citizens of Worcester to their King and Constitution. He was much flattered by the respect and attention which had been shown him since his arrival here and felt highly complimented by the honour they had bestowed on him.

"His Royal Highness has been pleased to appoint Mr Linton at The Cross to be his pastry cook, confectioner and fruiterer in this city, with permission to use his name and arms."

The same Journal edition of 1802 also carried another royal item of interest. As we know from the history books and the film The Madness of King George, the monarch at that time was at least eccentric, if not unstable and was regularly having his diet changed by his physicians in a bid to make him more mentally balanced.

The Journal declared: "The King is said to owe his present excellent state of health to a material change in his mode of living. Instead of a vegetable diet and water, he now dines upon fish and animal food, with which he takes four glasses of port wine.

"To this change of diet, His Majesty's physicians ascribe the happy improvement of his strength and spirits."