Prince Edward and Sophie braved the rain on Tuesday to become the first members of the royal family to visit a new memorial statue of Queen Elizabeth II. 

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were on a visit to Oakham, Rutland in the East Midlands. 

The royal couple went to the town's library, which is now home to the first memorial statue of the late Queen, Edward's mother, which features her beloved corgis at her feet. 

Edward and Sophie were the first royals to see the eye-catching seven-foot bronze statue, and the Duchess couldn't resist petting the corgis as she spoke to crowds.

The couple took a moment to look at the statue in silence and take in the meaningful tribute to the late monarch.  

Sophie, 59, was dressed for the weather in a smart cream coat, which she paired with green straight-leg trousers and an orange bag. 

She looked as elegant as ever as she twisted her blonde tresses into a stylish updo, and added a tangerine-coloured bag to accessorise. 

Meanwhile her husband Edward, 60, also dressed smartly for the occasion, adding a tweed blazer to his look. 

The Prince and duchess arrived at Oakham by helicopter before making their way to Oakham Castle just after 11am, where they met children from local primary schools. 

There, they were welcomed by the leader of the town council and presented a double horseshoe - a tradition for royals visiting the area.  

Despite the inclement weather, crowds flocked to see the younger brother of King Charles and waved Union Jack flags. 

Prince Edward showed his friendly and personable nature as he spoke to locals at the Salon in Oakham, who had sat underneath an umbrella to watch him go by. 

'Is this home is it?' Edward joked as the delighted crowd burst into laughter. 

The couple are the first royals to visit the statue since it was unveiled on April 21, which would have been the late Queen's 98th birthday. 

The stunning memorial depicts a youthful Queen Elizabeth - who stood at just 5ft 4in - in flowing regal robes with three loyal corgi companions at her feet, and one can be seen peeking out from the creases.

It serves as a permanent reminder to her remarkable 70-year reign and her enduring affection for the Pembroke Welsh breed.

Sculptor Hywel Pratley believes the memorial will become a hit not only with royal fans but will attract social media users wanting a selfie beside the late HM and her trio of corgis.

Over her decades on the throne, the late Queen owned an estimated 30 corgis and dorgis (dachshund and corgi mixes) and perhaps became the most famous Pembroke Welsh Corgi owner in history.

Throughout her reign, she was photographed with the animals wherever she went. 

Corgi fans visited the statue with their own pets in tow after the statue was finally unveiled last month. 

It's been a busy week for Prince Edward, who led a festival-style celebration at Buckingham Palace for Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holders on Monday. 

The Palace's sprawling garden was decked out with bunting, giant deckchairs, with refreshment tents for guests to dip into and games on the lawn. 

The Duke welcomed the crowds with an inspiring speech from the Palace's West Terrace, before meeting with Gold Award holders and hearing about the impact that the DofE program has had on their lives. 

On Wednesday Sophie is due to attend a concert at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.