There was a lot of nervous whispering as the crowd waited for the Queen to touch down in Canberra yesterday.
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Schoolchildren from across the capital were putting in last-minute preparation, practising polite welcomes for the royal couple as they stood among the crowd of guests, security and media at Fairbairn airport.
Catherine Smith from St John the Apostle Primary School in Florey was one of the lucky few who had the opportunity to present flowers to the Queen.
''I thought she was going to shake my hand and I was very nervous,'' she said.
While the 11-year-old had spent days repeating ''Your Majesty'', there was far less preparation at the Orana Steiner School in Weston, where teacher Ursula Hatton said staff didn't make ''too much of an elaborate occasion''.
But it appeared they were alone in that regard as the nation literally rolled out the red carpet for the royal couple yesterday.
The crowd chatter ranged from praise for the Prime Minister's choice of jacket - many badged officials gushed that she looked great - to a case of mistaken identity when one youngster referred to our Chief Minister as Katy Perry.
But Julia Gillard's outfit wasn't the only wardrobe choice of note, with John Sayers outdoing the flag-waving crowds by sporting a Union Jack tie.
Mr Sayers said he borrowed the patriotic neckwear when he picked up his daughter Bobbi from Radford College in Bruce yesterday.
''I went to the classroom and her teacher had this mad tie on,'' he said.
''He said I should wear it.''
Florey Primary School student Ineka Voigt said she was happy to be meeting the Queen after several days of secret preparation.
''We've been having to do daily trips to talk to the principal about the arrangements,'' Ineka said.
''We weren't allowed to tell anybody, but the kids got a bit suspicious when the Queen was coming and we kept going up to the front office.''
The royal visit was a family occasion for Tanya Bucklar, who travelled from Gungahlin with five-month-old daughter Chloe to catch a glimpse of the Queen. She said there were plans for more royal spotting with her three other children today.
''We were thinking of looking when she goes to Floriade on the boat,'' Ms Bucklar said.
''We might go around to a vantage point, but I'm assuming there will be lots more people going to those.''