As Barney the Clown, David Barnes made 50 or more appearances before the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and most other members of the Royal Family.

Oddly for a clown, he was as talented an administrator as he was a performer. He helped to stage the Great Children’s Party in Hyde Park for 200,000 children in May 1979 and spectacular shows in Seville for Expo ’92 at which the Prince and Princess of Wales were guests of honour.

David John Barnes was born in London in 1931 and as a youngster he became infatuated with magic displays, illusion shows and circuses.

What started out as a hobby led to him becoming a talented close-up magician, balloon modeller and an early member of the International Circus Clowns’ Club. He became secretary of the Circus Friends Association of Great Britain, and for some years from the late 1960s he organised the Annual Circus Reunion in London.

From his teens he entertained at children’s parties as Barney the Magic Clown. His day job was clerk to the planning committee at Westminster City Council. At the Royal Tournament, held annually at Earls Court, Barnes introduced elements of circus with the comic car antics of Pierre Picton and an elephant integrated into the military spectacle.

One of his biggest achievements was as administrator of a party in Hyde Park in June 1987 celebrating the centenary of the St John Ambulance Brigade. This again was attended by the Queen and Prince Philip.

He organised circus and other entertainers for events put on by the Variety Club of Great Britain, at the Guildhall, London, and at Sandown Park Racecourse, Surrey, as well as providing artistes for the Lord Mayor’s Show and the annual New Year’s Day parade in London.

David Barnes is survived by his wife, Janet, and their daughter.

David Barnes, clown, was born on October 24, 1931. He died on February 8, 2008, aged 76