Prince has a ball on beach as King and Queen pay their own visits
THE Prince of Wales took part in an impromptu game of volleyball on one of the UK’s most popular beaches yesterday.
William joined in a game with teenagers from a local lifesaving club on Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall.
The warm spring weather, with temperatures of around 16C, attracted large numbers of people to the beach – as well as a chance to catch a glimpse of the prince.
The beach is popular with surfers and regularly hosts international competitions and the Boardmasters festival. William started the game and his prowess at serving proved too much for the opposition.
William, who is also the Duke of Cornwall – a title inherited from his father after the Queen’s death – runs the Duchy of Cornwall, a portfolio of land, property and investments valued at more than £1bn, which provide an income for the heir to the throne.
Meanwhile, the Queen fed carrots to horses and donkeys as she hosted a reception for a “remarkable” equine welfare charity at Buckingham Palace.
Camilla met Alfie the donkey and LaLa, a Shetland pony, along with famous charity supporters as she marked the 90th anniversary of Brooke.
Camilla has held the role of president for the UK-based international charity, which protects and improves the lives of horses, donkeys and mules, since 2006.
And the King apologised to the Army for making a visit at the last moment but said he had wanted to come as soon as he had been “allowed out of my cage”.
Charles made his comments during a visit to the 3 Royal School of Military Engineering (3RSME) at Gibraltar Barracks, Minley, Surrey.
The King, who is Colonel-inChief of the Royal Engineers, was met by the Lord Lieutenant Nigel Atkinson and Major General Eldon Millar before he received a salute from a Quarter Guard comprising officers from the school.
As he was led into the officers’ mess by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Grant, commanding officer of 3RSME, the King said to him: “I do apologise for taking you by surprise. When this opportunity appeared and I had been allowed out of my cage, I wanted to come to have a look.”