WHEN it comes to true blue Aussie treasures, our great nation has plenty on offer.

And when Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Broadbeach as part of their Commonwealth Games tour yesterday, some local Gold Coast students made sure they had one of our best on show — the humble Aussie wheelie bin.

The British royal appeared baffled by the wheelie bin displayed by Robina State High School students, who were explaining to the prince how they’re doing their bit for the environment.

“And what is this?” Prince Charles asked the students, while opening up the lid of the bin before laughing and dropping it back down.

“Oh no! That’s our bin! Don’t open that!,” the year 12 student said in horror before awkwardly laughing along with the prince.

But it wasn’t just the standard Aussie Otto that confused the British royal.

While the Robina State High students were chatting to him about doing their bit, a cheeky little boy caught Prince Charles’ attention with his green stress ball.

Right in the middle of the talk, a cheeky and outspoken little boy briefly pulled the prince’s attention.

“Hi Prince Charles! Hi Camilla!” he yelled.

“What is that disgusting thing?” Prince Charles asked the unfazed youngster.

“Um, it’s a squishy ball,” he replied.

“But you can’t make it pop?” Prince Charles asked, before remembering he was learning about the environment and turning back to his lesson.

Despite the brief interruption, the students from Robina State High didn’t mind, describing the prince as “down to earth” and having a “lovely heart”.

“He asked us if we were on holidays and we said ‘yes’ and he said, ‘I’m sorry you have to be here in your uniform’,” Robina High student Andrew Wong told news.com.au.

The British royal and his wife the Duchess of Cambridge were in Broadbeach to be presented with the final marker for the city’s historic Commonwealth Walkway.

Mere minutes before mayor Tom Tate was due to unveil the plaque, the Gold Coast’s famously unpredictable weather made an appearance, pelting the coast with vicious wind and rain.

But after a brief wipe down with a red beach towel, the equally famous Gold Coast sun came through and the royal couple emerged to a crowd of adoring fans.

And just as Prince Charles shone in his relaxed beach meeting with some Gold Coast locals, the Duchess of Cornwall seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself — so much so, she even decided to ditch her tan wedges and wander down to the water’s edge.

Handing her shoes to her personal secretary, the Duchess continued on down the beach just behind her husband before briefly dipping her toes in the water.

“Don’t go in, darling,” Prince Charles said.

Prince Charles walked down to the water with two local kids, who had done a surfing demonstration on the sand but then were asked by the royal if they could go for a surf.

But the dangerous surf conditions meant they didn’t stay out there for long, eventually paddling their way back in.

Despite the crowds following the royal couple wherever they moved at Broadbeach, the pair seemed to be the most relaxed they’ve been.

Questions were raised about how well the Duchess of Cornwall was enjoying herself at Wednesday’s Opening Ceremony after she was caught on camera flicking through a program but mayor Tom Tate said the couple were in “fine form”.

“To get off the plane and do all those meet and greets, it’s tremendous,” he said.

Buckingham Palace also issued an extraordinary statement yesterday, denying the Duchess was “bored” at the ceremony.

“The Prince and The Duchess thoroughly enjoyed the opening ceremony,” the statement from Clarence House said.

“They found it entertaining and moving particularly the indigenous musical performances and the smoking ceremony.”

But while the Prince and The Duchess appeared to be relaxed and enjoying their beach afternoon, the same couldn’t be said for the dozens of private security and Queensland police who had to frantically watch the hordes of people swarming the royal couple.

When news.com.au asked security if they knew Prince Charles was going to walk all the way down to the water’s edge, they said they were unaware of the British royal’s spontaneous decision.

They also briefly nodded and laughed when news.com.au asked if Prince Charles’ and the Duchess’ beach walk was causing them stress.

The tense security let the people swarm around the couple for a few minutes before a plain-clothed officer decided everyone was getting a little too close for comfort.

“Move back,” he said. “Make an arch,” he told the rest of his security detail.

After spending a brief moment down at the water’s edge, the couple then wandered back up to the park, spending time with some of the city’s surf lifesavers and being shown a rescue drill from some Gold Coast nippers.

The Royal couple will now head north to Bundaberg and Cairns later in the week, meeting with a number of charity, environment and community organisations.