Swag maker among guests at royal reception

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

A GRAZIER, a swag maker and an Olympian are among the 224 Queenslanders invited to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Barry Hughes, from the farmers' advocacy group Northhead, wants to tell Prince William about the plight of drought-stricken Queensland producers.

"I know he's well and truly aware of the issue otherwise I wouldn't have been invited," he told AAP.

"I know he'll give some kind words of compassion."

The last time William was in Queensland, it was to console victims of the 2011 floods that devastated parts of Brisbane and Ipswich.

Olympian Sally Pearson says she's met the Queen and it will be "an absolute honour" to meet the Duke and Duchess.

Pearson, who is dressed in a stylish knee-length orange dress, doesn't have anything in particular to say and says she'll only speak to them if they seek her out.

"I know the protocol," the gold medallist laughed, as guests waited for the royal couple to arrive at Brisbane's South Bank precinct.

"This is the future King and Queen, it's so exciting."

Jean Madden, who runs Street Swags, will give the Duchess a swag on behalf of her charity, and a dress designed by Sasha Drake "on behalf of all the women in Queensland".

"I've met the Duke before and spoken about my charity, hopefully he'll remember me and I'll have a few minutes with Duchess this time."

The royal entourage arrived at the reception venue at 2.13pm.

An estimated 9500 people were waiting for the couple to emerge, and they didn't disappoint.

The couple, despite running behind schedule, have rewarded the wellwishers who have been waiting to in 28 degree heat.

Outside the reception venue, the South Bank parklands are packed with royal watchers, some draped in the Australian flag, others carrying memorabilia from Prince William's 2011 wedding to Kate.

Among those hoping for a brush with royalty is 87-year-old great-grandmother Jennie Cushway, who has seen three generations of the royal family in Brisbane over the years and is hoping to glimpse a fourth on Saturday.

The Brisbane widow says she'd love to add William and Kate to her list.

"I really wanted to see them, I think they're great," she told AAP.

"I might give them a little bow. I only hope I can see them and get nice photos."

She saw the Queen in February 1954, a few months after her coronation, and glimpsed Prince Charles touring Griffith University as a bachelor in the late 1970s.

She said she'd also seen the late Queen Mother and Prince Andrew with his then wife the Duchess of York.

The royal couple will make a brief public walk after the reception, where Kate will pause to chat with the crowd and accept more bouquets of flowers.

One young bub in the crowd, 10-month-old Grace, grabbed the media scrum's attention with her pink "Marry me George" t-shirt, and grand feathered head wear.

She teamed the shirt with a flouncy pink skirt but looked a little unamused about being in the middle of an excited, swollen crowd.

Another veteran royal watcher, Helen Jackson, 70, arrived with her husband Gavin at 7am to secure a prime position near the convention centre entrance.

Mrs Jackson saw Prince William three years ago as he comforted Ipswich flood victims, which included her daughter.

"I have met the Duke before ... I just wish him all the best," she told AAP.

"I stood in the background because it was for the flood people that lost their houses and I stood back."

Even self-confessed republicans couldn't stay away.

One, Agnes Delos Santos, has spent seven hours waiting for the royal couple's public walk.

"This is history, their visit to Brisbane," the 42-year-old theatre nurse told AAP. "It's just good to be here and see them."

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