Brisbane lines up to greet royalty

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived in Brisbane to another strong crowd reception. Source: AAP

ONE could have been forgiven for thinking One Direction was in town.

Queenslanders haven't turned out to see a youthful royal couple woo a crowd since the early years of Charles and Diana's marriage some 31 years ago.

In true style, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge won the hearts of 10,000 people along the streets of Brisbane's South Bank precinct under a clear blue sky and 28C heat.

Adoring royal watchers offered flowers and soft toys for nine-month old Prince George, who was absent on the couple's fourth day in Australia.

In some areas, 20-deep crowds lined the streets and held up their mobile phones hoping for a glimpse of his glamorous parents.

Brenda Stephens, a 73-year-old former British Air Force nurse, was among those who shook hands with Prince William, a former RAF pilot, after an eight-hour wait in the sun.

"I've just had a triple bypass so it was really special to me to shake the Duke's hand," she told AAP.

"He's a very charming man."

The avid royal watcher also managed to see the couple from a front row vantage point, with tears in her eyes, despite passing out earlier in the day waiting for their arrival.

Even republicans were enthralled, with Agnes Delos Santos happy to wait hours.

"This is history ... their visit to Brisbane," she said.

Inside Brisbane's Convention and Exhibition Centre starstruck rugby league greats Johnathan Thurston and Jharal Yow Yeh nodded seriously as they briefly chatted with the duke.

But as Prince William moved to greet another dignitary, the beaming sporting heroes high-fived each other and fist-pumped like school boys.

In the same room, the youngest person to sail around the world solo, Jessica Watson, was impressed by the duchess.

"You feel like you know them, and they treat you like you do," she told AAP.

But not everyone was so welcoming, with a crowd of about 30 Aboriginal rights activists chanting "No treaty, no peace" and "Always was, always will be Aboriginal land" before police disbanded them.

Outgoing Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley and Premier Campbell Newman had dashed back to Brisbane from Amberley, near Ipswich, to greet the royal couple for the second time in a day.

Afterwards, as they walked outside, cheers and shrieks followed them as the royals made a street walk, stopping to chat to the old, young and everyone in between.

Sue Gillies was there with her daughters Rebecca Gillies, 27 and Jodie Taranto, 34 from 7.30 in the morning.

"It was worth it," Rebecca said.

"It would have been nice if they'd sent Harry."

The duchess needed an army of helpers to pass on the gifts handed over security barricades - everything from modest posies of carnations, to stuffed kangaroos, chocolate bunnies, and a soccer ball bearing a map of Australia.

After more than half an hour greeting the crowds, the royal couple then climbed into a car, bound for the airport and a full schedule of events in Sydney on Easter Sunday.

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