Cheers and tears for Prince Harry

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Prince Harry poses for photos, as he holds baby Lexie Hailstone

Prince Harry was given a pop star-style welcome on his first day of official engagements in Wales.

Youngsters from Cathays High School in Cardiff screamed, cheered and some even broke down in tears when the 23-year-old prince arrived.

He was there to learn about their work with disadvantaged African children and also visited a local hospital.

As he talked to a fellow red-haired boy he told the 12-year-old: "I'm ginger - gingers love gingers."

Pupils and staff at the secondary school have forged links with, and are raising money for, a school in the African kingdom of Lesotho - a place the prince knows well.

Harry established the charity Sentebale to help youngsters - many Aids orphans - in the land-locked nation surrounded by South Africa by funding community projects or offering management support.

I'm a big fan of the royal family, now I've met Harry I want to meet the Queen Hollie White, 12

When he arrived dozens of schoolchildren from years seven and eight strained against crash barriers chanting "Wales, Wales" then screamed "Harry, Harry" as he got closer.

The prince spent time shaking the hands held out to him and stopping to chat to many of the children who waved Welsh and Lesotho flags.

One youngster Hollie White, 12, from nearby Gabalfa, sobbed uncontrollably as Harry approached and stopped in front of her.

The schoolgirl could hardly speak after meeting her idol and said: "I'm a big fan of the royal family, now I've met Harry I want to meet the Queen."

Harry - an officer in the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals - will be joining members of his regiment in Lesotho later this summer to help build care facilities and repair infrastructure for projects supported by Sentebale.

As he walked past the pupils he stopped in front of Matthew Taylor, a red-haired 12-year-old who said after meeting the prince: "We all thought he was going to walk past but he actually took the time to stop and talk to us.

Harry shakes hands with a young fan at the University Hospital of Wales

"He said to me 'I'm ginger - gingers love gingers'."

The prince continued his visit at University Hospital of Wales, where staff and patients from the children's hospital lined the prince's route, cheering and waving Welsh flags.

A smiling Harry stopped to talk to a group of student nurses, commiserating with them about their long working hours, before holding five-month-old patient Lexi Hailstone.

The baby, who has a rare chromosome disorder, is recovering from meningitis.

Lexi's mother, Natasha Martin, 19, from Bridgend said: "He was really lovely, very down to earth. I asked if he wanted a picture and he said, 'Do you want me to hold her?"' The prince looked at ease as he took the sleeping baby in his arms and raised a chuckle when he told the crowds: "She's not mine!" He added: "It's a girl."

Emily is a Cardiff City supporter and he was saying it was a shame they lost the FA Cup final Jayne Williams, hospital play specialist

Miss Martin said: "He looked like he didn't want to give her back."

Harry also knelt down to talk to two 11-year-olds, Emily Williams and Raymond Lillycrop, who have both undergone major spinal surgery.

Hospital play specialist Jayne Williams said: "He said they were both very brave. Emily is a Cardiff City supporter and he was saying it was a shame they lost the FA Cup final."

Inside the hospital Harry met doctors and nurses from the Cardiff & Vale NHS Trust, who have been involved in the health work of Dolen Cymru, of which Harry is patron, which has twinned Wales with Lesotho to forge educational, health and religious links.

They have been linked with the Welsh charity and Lesotho since 2006 and have been working with a paediatric ward and children's HIV clinic in the African kingdom to help develop it into a centre of excellence.

Later the prince addressed the third international conference for organisations supporting development and change in Lesotho, which is hosted by Dolen Cymru.

He was due to attend a reception afterwards at the National Museum of Wales and officially open an exhibition of tapestries from Lesotho.