The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will visit the show on 21 July

There has been speculation for months that the Monarch would attend July's agricultural showpiece, but up until now the rumours have been unconfirmed.

The Queen, the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society's patron, and Prince Philip, will be the guests of honour at the show on 21 July.

Confirmation of the Queen's attendance at Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells, came in the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society's show programme.

I know from my visits to Llanewedd how important the show is to farmers and their families in Wales The Prince of Wales

The Prince of Wales will open the event on 19 July and has agreed to act as the show's president for 2004.

John Kendal, a show spokesman, said: "We are delighted. It's a great honour that The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will attend the centenary show.

"They last visited in 1983, while Her Majesty first attended the event in 1947 when it was held in Carmarthen.

"It's a special show this year and it's quite a coup that we're getting two royal visits."

In the programme, Prince Charles said: "The Royal Welsh Show in July marks the centenary of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society and I was delighted and honoured to accept the invitation to be your president during this most important year in the history of the society.

"I know from my visits to Llanelwedd how important the show is to farmers and their families in Wales, and how successful it is in helping to bridge the gap between those who live and work in the countryside and the majority of people who live in urban areas."

Culture

More than 200,000 visitors are expected at this year's event

This year is expected to be a bumper show with the usual array of stalls and tents, but with a number of new features designed to celebrate the 100th show.

The event began its life in Aberystwyth in 1904.

The society is in the process of raising £6m to build a centenary pavilion but construction work will not begin until that sum has been collected.

The aim is to make it a focal point for the development of the arts, culture and youth activities in mid Wales and will include conference, seminar and meeting facilities.

At this year's show, an art exhibition, entitled Farming and the Welsh Landscape, will present paintings, drawings and sculptures representing agriculture in all forms in Wales during the last 100 years.

A Royal Welsh Show rose has also been launched to celebrate the historic landmark and an extensive range of centenary merchandise will also be on offer.

A sculpture, cast in bronze by Castle Fine Arts, from Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, in Powys, of a shepherd, a dog and a ram will be unveiled too.

And each evening in the show ring there will be a cavalcade of vehicles, machinery and animals associated with farming during the last 100 years. It will involve up to 1,000 people too.

Plans for the cavalcade have been organised by Sir Michael Parker who directed the Royal Tournament for 27 years.