Royal Watch News

Prince Charles recycles gardening clothes

Mar 11, 2013, 12:02 GMT

Prince Charles

Britain's Prince Charles wears a tattered old jacket while doing gardening work instead of getting a new one.

The 65-year-old royal surprised viewers during his special appearance as guest editor on BBC One programme 'Countryfile' on Sunday night (10.03.13) by showing off a the battered coat, which has been patched up so many times he can 'hardly move'.

The heir to the throne has owned the coat since he first started building hedges on his estate and refuses to throw out the thread-bare item.

Presenter Matt Baker joked that it 'looks like it's seen a bit of wear'.

Charles conceded: 'Well of course the trouble is it gets torn up. I got somebody to patch it up with leather and now I can hardly move'.

The Prince of Wales took control of the 'Countryfile' schedule in celebration of its 25th anniversary and the eco-warrior royal covered topics he feels passionate about such as healthy school dinners, farming, rare breeds and hedge building.

He admitted he often spends his weekends building hedges and runs an annual competition in his special skill on his estate.

He enthused: 'I love it. I tell you why, because it's terrific exercise and at the same time it's a sort of hobby or interest to see if you can get better at doing it.

'When you first lay a hedge, if you do it well, it looks so marvellous and then the fun is to see three or four years later, it looks like a hedge that's always been there.'