A cuppa and a chat: Prince Charles at BC opening

The invitation for the opening of the new British Council building slap bang in the middle of CHOGM said a VVIP would be present and it didn't take a great feat of deduction to guess who was coming to do the honours. The invitation proper when it arrived dispelled the mystery and even spelt out how one should address the heir to the British Throne (in case you wondered) for it was indeed Prince Charles.

It was the usual eclectic BC gathering on the evening of November 16writers, artistes, academics and young achievers all ushered into the library's spacious new upstair premises with an impressive wall to ceiling glass

window that let in the sunset. The L shaped space seemed to house a children's library at least in part judging from the titles on the shelves close by. Fortified with a purplish fruit juice, the gathering waited as the minutes ticked closer to 6.

Only the flurry of photographers indicated that the Prince had arrived, almost unobtrusively. The next 30 minutes or so he spent chatting to small groups and those lined up to meet him. One young artiste later said how genuinely interested he had been - not just a perfunctory handshake and nod, but questions and conversation whilst sipping a cup of tea.

The main business of the evening was of course, declaring open the BC's new building and this was quickly accomplished. Two brief speeches by the new head of the British Council in Colombo Keith Davis followed by the BC's CEO in London Martin Davidson. Prince Charles joked that he was glad that the foundation stone he had laid on his last visit had lasted and unveiled the plaque before slipping away as quietly as he had come.

It was a gracious presence - one that left the guests that evening with an inkling of why the monarchy remains one of Britain's greatest assets.