Seeds for breakfast, air force workouts ... and a crumpet for tea

WHEN he eventually ascends the throne, Charles will be the oldest person ever to become monarch.

Those close to him say that time is already catching up with him. He sometimes finds himself exhausted by the early evening — possibly, say aides, because he eats very little during the day.

Like his mother, he is up early, usually before 7am. To keep his back mobile, he begins each day by doing a series of exercises originally designed for Royal Canadian Air Force pilots.

Then it’s on to breakfast, which always consists of a bowl of seed mixed in with a tiny amount of yoghurt. With Radio 4’s Today programme on in the background, he starts reading the newspapers.

From 8am, if he doesn’t have any early engagements, he spends two hours poring over paperwork and making handwritten notes in black ink.

Over the phone, he also chases up projects on anything from organic farming and architecture to the environment and interfaith relations.

After that, he plunges into his royal engagements, of which there are about 25 a week. He never eats lunch while doing these, partly so he can pack as much into the day as possible.

Years of experience have also taught him just how much water he needs to drink to keep himself hydrated, but not so much that he will need frequent loo stops.

At teatime, he may occasionally have a slice of fruit cake or a crumpet — but just the one. And he never misses having a good dinner, often preceded by a strong mixed martini or two.

Despite this almost military regime, says a source close to the Prince, ‘his workload sometimes does take its toll on him. He admits it himself, but he is a driven man and wants to do as much as he can with the time he is allotted to make a real difference.

‘Sometimes he is so tired he almost falls asleep over his papers. But nobody can tell him to slow down — not even the Duchess, who leaves him to do his thing.’

No one understands better than Charles that, when the time comes, his reign will probably be short.

In the meantime, he intends to keep in the best possible shape, pack in as much work as he can and at least leave a lasting legacy as the Prince of Wales.