Camilla is made colonel in chief - Sky News Australia

Prince Charles has arrived to cheers and clapping from hundreds of keen royal watchers at Sydney's Circular Quay.

The Prince of Wales arrived in a motorcade under heavy police guard and greeted crowds outside the Overseas Passenger Terminal on Friday.

He was not accompanied by his other half, with Camilla visiting Victoria Barracks where she was awarded the title of colonel in chief of the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police.

The prince was visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) to meet five Australian designers as part of his role as an ambassador for the Campaign for Wool.

The prince, who was wearing a navy Australian merino wool suit, shook hands and spoke with mums, dads, kids and other royal supporters in the crowd before walking inside the MCA.

Some wished him happy birthday for next week, but royal enthusiast Michelle Haywood was there for a special reason.

Ms Haywood proudly showed the prince the Victoria Cross medals her mother's second husband was awarded in World War II.

'I've had the medals on my shirt, and when he walked past I just mentioned to him of the time he met my mum when he opened the Hall of Valour, and that she sends her love to him,' Ms Haywood said.

'He held my hand and said to pass on his best regards to mum. It was lovely.'

Joanne Keohan from Bundeena brought her daughter and son to Sydney for the special occasion.

'We showed him a picture of the Queen with my children when we met her a month ago in England,' Ms Keohan said.

'He said 'What's this?' and they said 'We met your mum!'

'He said 'I'll tell her we saw her photo'.'

Meanwhile the Duchess of Cornwall has been appointed the inaugural colonel in chief of the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police in a parade at Sydney's Victoria Barracks.

More than 100 military police formed a royal guard to honour the appointment in bright, humid conditions at the Paddington barracks on Friday.

The duchess, whose father was a British Army officer, inspected the troops and was due to meet military police and their families in a private meeting after the parade.

'This is a significant milestone and a proud moment in the 96-year history of our corps,' said army Provost Marshal Lieutenant Colonel Murray Heron.

The RACMP is a small, highly trained corps providing command and police support to the Australian Defence Force around the world.

Its law enforcement role is seen as a critical component of the military justice system.