Charles then started to ask about various artefacts in our living room, and was particularly intrigued by legions of wooden figurines of soldiers in military colours and clothes from various 18th and 19h century regiments that lined the walls, and had been made by Nick.

At one point, he asked: ‘Well how did you do this all?’

‘With hard work’, Nick replied.

By now, a large crowd of people had gathered outside the house, and there were photographers gathered outside. Our sitting room, too , was crammed with security people and the Press. When, suddenly Charles said:

‘Would you mind awfully if I looked round the rest of the house?’.

At this point, I almost collapsed at the thought of unmade beds and untidy bathrooms.

Charles looked outside and then said; ‘I think they can wait’.

I then ushered him up to the staircase, he went up, then I followed,

pointing out various views of Brighton lining the walls.

‘Look, sir, I said’, here’s a picture of the Theatre Royal’, or here’s a pen and ink drawing of the Royal Pavilion’, Places that I thought might interest him.

He looked into each room briefly, and with interest, going past the ‘belle etage’ of our large Victorian town house until we reached a large bedroom, where he admired some glass handkerchief vases. I then offered one, which he politely refused. Then Nick chimed in with the following remark: ‘

‘Well the old Queen Mary would’ve taken it, wouldn’t she?’

At this , Prince Charles laughed and Nick then recounted how Queen Mary had patted him on the head as a child, as Nick’s parents who lived in Little Chester Street, Chelsea, and often went to the Chelsea Arts Club, were aquainted with her. Nick described a dark green car that she had with a basket seat at the back, and Charles laughed in astonishment that he, too, knew of this vehicle.

The two men, who were both of the same build and size ,then bonded as brothers, and continued to chat and reminisce. And a photographer was later to take a lovely photo of a very happy and similing Prince Charles leaving our house, with my beloved Nick on the front steps with him.

As soon as Charles’ entourage left to dash off to the waiting helicopter, the phone started ringing. It was ‘The Daily Mail’ , ‘The Mirror’ and ‘Hello’ magazine on the end of the line.