30 things you never knew about the Prince of Wales
From underage drinking to nude photos, Roland White reveals the unknown Charles
1When he was born, on November 14, 1948, the fountains in Trafalgar Square ran blue “for a boy”
2It was the first royal birth since the 17th century that wasn’t witnessed by a government minister
3There was no worried pacing up and down outside the labour suite for the Duke of Edinburgh: he was playing squash
4Charles was christened using water from the River Jordan, a royal tradition thought to stretch back to the Crusades
5If he succeeds to the throne later than September 2013 - and, frankly, that’s looking pretty likely - Charles will be the oldest person to become monarch of the United Kingdom
6William IV is the current record holder. He became king at the age of 64
7Charles is often criticised for having his valet put paste on his toothbrush, but that’s a royal myth. It was his private secretary - and only when the prince had his arm in plaster after a polo accident
8He was voted one of the 11 best-dressed men in Europe - at the age of five
9He’s a big fan of Leonard Cohen (which won’t help his reputation for being introspective and gloomy, will it?)
10During a trip to Fiji as a young man, he was entertained by topless women who performed a fertility dance for him. “It’s better than the Changing of the Guard,” he said
11Not content with being Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall, he is also Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. He holds the rank of admiral in the navy, air chief marshal in the RAF, and general in the army
12While he was studying at Cambridge, a detective was assigned to look after the prince’s laundry in case a student prankster was tempted to steal the royal underpants
13His first public speech - in Welsh - was heckled by nationalists who were beaten away by ardent monarchists armed with handbags
14On a visit to Manchester in 1983, somebody threw a custard pie in the prince’s face, having first asked permission
15When he was in the navy, Charles - scruffy and unshaven at the time - was approached by photographers. “Where’s the prince?” they asked, failing to see through the beard. “Oh, he won’t see you,” Charles replied. “He’s a pretty nasty piece of work, you know”
16His Aston Martin Volante, given to him by the Queen as a 21st birthday present, now runs on bioethanol converted from English wine. (Now that’s what you call a vintage car)
17He was caught drinking underage at 14 when he ordered a cherry brandy at the Crown hotel in Stornaway. He didn’t know a freelance reporter was in the same bar
18When he married for the first time, the South London Press newspaper, desperately searching for the local angle, carried the headline: “Kennington landowner weds”
19The Rev Ian Paisley refused to attend the ceremony because Cardinal Hume, the Catholic archbishop, would also be present
20Charles appeared on Coronation Street in 2000, visiting Vera Duckworth in hospital (and risking the jibe that this was the closest he’d get to any coronation for many years to come)
21He also appeared on Jackanory in 1984, reading his own children’s story, The Old Man of Lochnagar
22He is a member of the Magic Circle of magicians
23He spent two terms studying in Australia, where he attempted to throw a boomerang for the first time. It was not a great success. He hit himself on the head, fell over and landed in cow dung
24You can buy a Prince Charles latex face mask on eBay for £14.99, plus a set of Prince Charles ears for £2.80
25Charles exhibits paintings at the Royal Academy summer exhibition under the name AG Carrick (from Arthur George, two of his four Christian names, and Carrick from one of his spare titles)
26As a young man, he was criticised by a Free Church of Scotland minister for skiing in the Cairngorms on the sabbath
27He has his own official harpist, currently Claire Jones from Crymych, Pembrokeshire
28Asked once why he and the Duke of Edinburgh walk with their hands behind their back, he said: “We both have the same tailor. He makes our sleeves so tight that we can’t get our hands in front”
29He is the only member of the royal family to have appeared nude in a magazine. Paris Match once printed a picture of him standing naked at the window of a French chateau
30A video on YouTube claims to offer proof that Prince Charles is the Antichrist
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