PRINCE A CLASS ACT
Prince Charles shares a joke with pupils at a Gloucestershire primary school during a visit to watch pupils take part in a Christmas performance. Charles was beaming as he met youngsters, saw their artwork and heard poems they had written.
AS THE grandfather of young children, he might well have been watching the nativity play with a critical eye, with a view to comparing notes with his own family.
But Prince Charles was keeping his opinions to himself as he watched a Christmas performance at a village primary school in Gloucestershire.
Charles was beaming as he met youngsters, saw their artwork and heard poems they had written.
He had last visited Leighterton Primary School at Tetbury in 2007, as part of its centenary celebrations.
Since then, it has undergone a major refurbishment, with its new classrooms having been opened last year by Adam Henson, a presenter of the BBC’s Countryfile.
Charles was shown around the facility by the head teacher, Meryl Hatfield, and other staff – one of whom had broken her foot during the weekend but delayed a visit to hospital so as not to miss the big day.
“Prince Charles is such a gentlemen and put everyone at ease.
“It was a real honour to show him around the primary school,” Ms Hatfield said.
“Some of the families of the pupils at the school were working during the weekend to help put it all together.”
She said the Prince had chosen to visit the school, which has 78 pupils on its roll, to see the new classes and offices, which had made it “a much safer place to be”.
Ms Hatfield added: “This visit is something the children will always remember.”
Some of the youngsters were dressed as angels, shepherds and farmyard animals for their performance of It’s a Baby when the Prince arrived.
One handed him a picture he had painted.
Charles was on the second day of a two-day visit to Gloucestershire.
Highgrove House, the family residence he shares with the Duchess of Cornwall, is just south-west of Tetbury and he is a familiar figure in the area.