Prince Charles jokes about 'never-ending battle' to stay in shape during trip to shirt maker

Prince Charles quipped that it is a "never-ending battle" to stay trim as he visited a shirt maker today.

The Prince of Wales joked as he toured the workshop of Emma Willis, who has been making shirts for him for the last five years, in Gloucester.

As he was presented with a shirt as his visit to the factory, based in an 18th-century property in the city, he said: "Very kind of you - you've got my measurements.

"I struggle to keep them the same, a never-ending battle."

Ms Willis described producing items for the prince as an honour, as the Prince unveiled a plaque to mark his visit during the trip.

She said: "I was approached by one of his dressers about six years ago, and the dresser said His Royal Highness would like to try my shirts.

"So I went to Clarence House and measured His Royal Highness for the first time and we've been making his shirts ever since.

"And one of the things we specialise in is very fine Swiss cottons and he loves lovely soft fabrics."

Ms Willis has a shop in Jermyn Street, a central London area famed for its high-end men's clothing and accessories.

She has been producing handmade shirts for 30 years and, through her charity Style for Soldiers, supporting wounded servicemen for more than a decade.

The prince gave an impromptu speech during the visit, saying to the company's founder: "I just wanted to come really to thank you, more than anything, for the wonderful things you do, apart from making fantastic shirts and boxer shorts and everything else.

"But everything you do for our armed forces and all those who had the horror of being wounded in one way or another, it is a wonderful thing you do."

Charles met staff in the cutting room including two Syrian refugees Nareen Hussain and Ibrahim Khalil, employed by the company after they fled their homeland.

The prince was told Mr Khalil had run a clothing factory in Aleppo and said: "My great ambition has always been to go to Syria, now I can't bear the horror and the destruction."

Charles was also shown an unusual First World War portable cello, that belongs to a family member of Ms Willis, and other artefacts from the conflict when he met former servicemen supported by Style for Soldiers.

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