Prince Andrew first visited Killyleagh on the shores of Strangford Lough in 1986 shortly after his marriage to Sarah Ferguson, from whom he is now separated, when he was awarded the title Baron Killyleagh.
He visited again in 2002 to unveil a statue of Sir Hans Sloane, who founded the British Museum and who was born in Killyleagh in 1660.
He was also introduced to members of the town’s development association and funders of the regeneration project.
He was welcomed by Mr William J Hall, the then Lord-Lieutenant of County Down, then Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Iris Robinson, Nick Lindsay, Sheriff for County Down and Nigel Dodds who was also an MP at the time.
Jim Lindsay said that on that occasion he took Prince Andrew out on his boat onto Strangford Lough. The prince was also a former patron of Killyleagh Yacht Club.