AS first days go, meeting the heir of the throne could hardly be described as easy.

But Jean Fooks had to learn quickly as she started her duties as Oxford’s new Lord Mayor.

The councillor’s first official engagement was to greet Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Mrs Fooks was on hand as they arrived in the city and accompanied them as the royal couple visited the Covered Market.

She also joined celebrations at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, which the Prince officially opened.

Mrs Fooks said: “It was all a bit of a whirlwind to be honest. I woke up in the morning and wondered ‘how did I get here?’

“Going round the Covered Market with the royals felt a bit like Through the Looking Glass.

“They were very nice though and Prince Charles joked about being thrown ‘in the deep end’.”

After all that, the Lord Mayor also managed to squeeze in a community centre trustees meeting in Cutteslowe, part of her ward.

“I feel like I’m ready for anything after today,” she joked on Tuesday.

She took over as Lord Mayor from Mohammed Altaf-Khan in a mayor-making ceremony on Monday night.

She has turned down the role on a number of occasions because she was too busy helping residents, but finally agreed at the end of last year.

After 25 years on the city council, Mrs Fooks also plans to make it her final year in politics.

Jean Fooks, who represents Summertown on Oxford City Council, was first elected to the city’s local authority in 1992. Until recently, she was also a county councillor for Wolvercote and Summertown.

The mother-of-two studied physics at Somerville College from 1958 to 1961 and worked in a number of different jobs, including as a teacher and at the unit of clinical epidemiology in Headington. The Liberal Democrat previously turned down the mayor role but has now decided to take it on.

Her appointment was seconded by Andrew Gant, leader of her Liberal Democrat political group, and Labour councillor John Tanner.

During her year as Lord Mayor, city councillor Christine Simm will be Deputy Lord Mayor while Mr Altaf-Khan will be High Sheriff.