Prince Charles has joked he will never again be able to fit into a pair of ‘budgie smugglers’ – skimpy swimming trunks – as he approaches his 70th birthday.
Speaking at an event in Brisbane attended by people celebrating the same milestone this year, the heir to the throne said he knew ‘only too well’ the ‘strange feeling of disbelief’ at reaching that age.
Confessing he did not feel like it was long since his parents were 70, he said: ‘I do know only too well – and understand – the strange feeling of disbelief that this is actually happening and that never again, for instance, will it be possible to squeeze into a pair of budgie smugglers.
The prince received a warm welcome in Vanuatu, where he was made a high chief in a colourful ceremony
Prince Charles donned a grass skirt for the traditional welcoming ceremony, where he was honoured as a distinguished guest
The prince also took a sip from a cup of special kava, known as Royal Kava, before planting two trees and trying out the local skirtware
The prince immersed himself into every aspect of Vanuatu’s culture, and was not reluctant to try on traditional skirts
The prince arrived to a rapturous welcome in Vanuatu where many of the local said they were delighted he had taken the trouble to visit
Prince Charles visited the Chief’s Nakamal, a traditional meeting place for chiefs where he was given a VIP reception
Prince Charles in Brisbane joked he will never again be able to fit into a pair of ‘budgie smugglers’ – skimpy swimming trunks – as he approaches his 70th birthday
‘I don’t know about you, ladies and gentlemen, but now bits of me keep falling off at regular intervals.
”Don’t worry’, they keep telling me, ‘you have brilliant genes’.
‘But the trouble is I can’t even get into them either!’
Charles, who made the speech at a reception hosted by the Governor of Queensland Paul de Jersey, turns 70 on November 14.
The prince also made a day trip to the South Pacific island of Vanuatu on Saturday – the fourth day of his week-long tour of Australia, the first three days of which he was joined by the Duchess of Cornwall.
After meeting Vanuatu’s President Tallis Obed Moses (above), the prince was given the first of many traditional garlands, along whit other gifts
The prince delighed the crowds – who had turned out in their thousands – with the traditional greeting of ‘Halo yufala euriwan’, meaning ‘hello everybody’
Prince Charles visited found time to visit numerous dignitaries during the course of his one-day whirlwind visit
The prince looked comfortable in his role as guest of honour and lavished praise on his hosts
Local people pulled out all the stops to make the prince welcome in Vanuatu
The prince had time during his one-day visit to meet local residents, where he was accorded a rapturous reception
The prince said he was delighted to experience for myself the warmth, generosity and spirit for which the people of Vanuatu are so justly famed
On Vanuatu he might not have the god-like status of his father Prince Philip, but he was till honoured as a distinguished guest.
Donning a grass skirt and a white garland, the heir to the throne was made a high chief in a colourful ceremony.
In the tradition of the Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs, Charles took part in a series of rituals as he was given the high chief name of Mal Menaringmanu.
The prince also took a sip from a cup of special kava, known as Royal Kava, before planting two trees.
The drink is reserved for special occasions and was only last consumed when the Duke of Edinburgh visited the island in 1974.
He delighted the crowds – who had turned out in their thousands – with the traditional greeting of ‘Halo yufala euriwan’, meaning ‘hello everybody’.
‘My visit, while far too brief, has nevertheless allowed me to experience for myself the warmth, generosity and spirit for which the people of Vanuatu are so justly famed,’ the prince said.
‘Vanuatu, you are number one!’
Charles later had the chance to meet Jimmy Joseph, from the village of Yaohnanen, on the Vanuatuan island of Tanna, where Prince Philip is viewed as a divine being.
The Prince Philip Movement believes the Queen’s husband is the man from one of their legends.
Charles warmly shook Mr Joseph’s hand as he was presented with a gift.
Mr Joseph said: ‘I gave him a walking stick for his father made by the hands of the Prince Philip Movement.
‘I told him a lot of people in the movement have now died but there are some still living.
‘The prince said he would deliver the message personally.’
Everywhere the prince went on Vanuatu, he was followed by scores of admirers
Earlier, Charles had received a welcome befitting for an heir to the throne as he landed on the island at Port Vila.
Greeted by the locals in traditional dress and with painted faces, the prince smiled and waved as he walked across red ceremonial mats – one of the most deeply respected aspects of Vanuatu’s traditions.
After meeting Vanuatu’s president and being given the first of many traditional garlands, it was time for a spot of shopping, as Charles picked up a hat and a bag for wife Camilla at a handicraft market.
‘They make such wonderful gifts, don’t they,’ he said, as he snapped them up for about £40 (6000 vatu).
Charles spent a while strolling through the Haos blong Handikraf market, admiring locally made products such as paintings, wooden sculptures and woven baskets.
Sovaki Zacharie, 19, who was lucky enough to chat to the prince at the market, said it was ‘so special’ to have Charles visit the island.
‘We’ve only ever seen him in magazines, so to see him in real life makes me so happy,’ she said.
Charles also visited Port Vila Central Hospital, which suffered extensive damage when tropical cyclone Pam hit in 2015, and praised the ‘fantastic’ recovery effort funded by the Australian government, including the refurbishment of operating theatres and the laboratory.
The prince will now fly on to Cairns before finishing his trip in Darwin.
He has emphasised his fondness for Australia, which he first visited 52 years ago.
‘When I first came to Australia, Australian manhood was partly defined by how many schooners of beer you could line up on the bar – and drink – before the pubs closed early,’ he said.
Highlighting once again the challenges facing the environment, he warned that ‘we are destroying our own life support systems, along with our children’s and grandchildren’s’ future’.
Describing Australia as ‘an example for us all’, Charles hailed ‘Aussie values’ as a force for good.
He added: ‘Amidst all this, the Aussie character that is so exemplified by the concept of fairness and ‘fairgo’ is what I believe the world needs so desperately and so urgently – a ‘fairgo’ for people, our planet and for nature herself.’