THE Prince and Princess of Wales visited Nottingham yesterday where

each of them had a round of public engagements to fulfil.

They flew to East Midlands Airport and drove first to the Queen's

Medical Centre in Nottingham, where they emerged to a cheer from a

200-strong crowd.

They met local dignitaries before making separate tours of the

hospital wards, then embarked on their personal schedules in the city.

The Prince went to a Boots warehouse and Nottingham University while

the Princess dropped in on a day nursery, a lace factory, and a Help the

Aged centre.

It was their first joint official engagement since publication of the

''Dianagate'' tape -- alleged to be an intimate telephone conversation

between the Princess and Mr James Gilbey, a friend of hers.

Wherever they went on their personal itineraries yesterday, hundreds

turned out to cheer and applaud.

The Princess, cheerful in a blue blazer and long pleated skirt, left

the hospital 10 minutes before her husband and went walkabout outside.

Inside the Queen's Medical Centre, where he underwent weekend surgery

on a torn knee cartilage, the Prince raised laughter with a series of

off-the-cuff remarks.

''Every time I come here a bit falls off,'' he told 91-year-old

Elizabeth Lee.

The Prince spent 20 minutes with staff and officials at the local

Macmillan Nurse Appeal, and went on to the university arts centre to

meet recipients of Prince's Trust and Prince's Youth Business Trust

grants.

He then left Nottingham for an undisclosed destination.

* The Sun newspaper said in an editorial it is suppressing parts of

the ''Dianagate'' tapes for fear of damaging her irreparably.