It will be his first visit to the event at the showground at Costessey near Norwich and his itinerary will include a tour of the cattle rings and a stop at the countryside area.

The Royal visitor will also meet up with this year's show president, General Sir Richard Dannatt, who is head of the British Army and who made the decision that the prince should go to Afghanistan earlier this year to serve a tour of duty with his battalion of the Household Cavalry.

Royal visits are a tradition at the two-day show on Wednesday and Thursday and Prince Harry's appearance marks the centenary of the granting of the Royal title to the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association.

As well as Prince Harry's visit on the opening day, the organisers have lined up some special attractions for the crowds, including displays in the main arena by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

"This is a wonderful way to mark the centenary," said the show manager Sarah de Chair. "It is undoubtedly the best grand ring event in the country, if not the world, and is incredibly exciting.

"Spectators tend to be on the edge of their seats when all those carriages are thundering across the ring at high speed and undertaking some daring scissor manoeuvres. We are also very fortunate that at our show they are able to gallop out of the ring and straight down the horsewalk. That is a breathtaking sight," she said.

As well as the main ring events there will be trade stands, craft and food fairs, all of the traditional livestock classes, show jumping, a dog show, garden show, parachutes and motocross displays and Norfolk Young Farmers celebrating the Year of Food and Farming.

• Two West Norfolk farming estates are among finalists for this year's Mills and Reeve Norfolk Grey Partridge Award.

The Gayton Estate and the Warren Shoot, which is part of the Westacre Estate, have both been nominated for the award which will be announced at the show.

The award, a silver partridge crafted by Lynn silversmith Tim Clayton, is awarded for the efforts farms and estates are making to protect the rare grey partridge and encourage breeding programmes.