MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Britain's Prince Edwards strolls, juggles in Santiago.

Britain's Prince Edward, youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II, walked to his destination in downtown Santiago on Thursday and showed off his juggling prowess during a visit to a circus school.

Edward, who is representing the British monarchy in his day-and-a-half visit to Chile, walked the five blocks between La Moneda presidential palace, where he met with President Ricardo Lagos, and the Foreign Ministry, where he lunched with chief Ignacio Walker.

Throughout the stroll in Walker's company, Edward appeared relaxed, smiled and replied graciously to people who recognized him and shouted, "Hello!" Some fans went further in their greetings and wished him a "good day," while the prince, seventh in line to the British throne, made brief stops to greet street vendors.

The security surrounding the visit was in no way lowered during the leisurely amble, as in addition to the large group of police who followed the prince's every step, each street would be closed to traffic as he approached.

Before meeting with Lagos at La Mondeda for 30 minutes, Edward visited the school run by the Great Circus of the World, three kilometers (two miles) outside Santiago, where disadvantaged and street children are taught various circus arts.

At the school, where he stayed for almost an hour, Edward appeared very interested in the activities, and even picked us some balls and showed off his juggling skills to the admiration of his hosts.

The prince "is super-fantastic, natural, spontaneous, and with the juggling, what can I say? The man has hands fit for piano," one of the students told Radio Cooperativa Ezequiel.

"You can tell he is someone steeped in art, in theater, specifically. We spoke of how the arts aid people's development," said school principal Bartolome Silva.

The prince, who stopped in Chile after attending Tabare Vazquez's inauguration in Uruguay, plans to visit the English Pump, a fire department founded by volunteers in the 19th century, and to meet with British locals before flying home late Thursday.