The guards in the square in front of the palace suddenly started ordering the streets leading to to the palace to be cleared of tourists. A few seconds later a dark car drove swiftly by – we could see that someone was in the back seat – and into the palace to deposit its passenger out of sight of prying eyes. All the guards snapped to attention and saluted as it went by.

An excited tourist went up to one of the guards and asked: “Was that the Prince?” I couldn’t catch his response, but it didn’t sound like either a confirmation or a denial.