English/Nat
It was a case of the prince and the pauper when the heir to the British throne met an old schoolmate in London on Thursday.
Prince Charles was visiting the offices of "The Big Issue" - a magazine sold by the homeless - when he was introduced to Clive Harold.
The two had last met 44 years ago when they were pupils at the posh London preparatory school Hill House.
Both their lives have undergone big changes since then.
While on his tour of the Big Issue Offices, Clive Harold introduced himself to the Prince Charles.
They Royal appeared taken aback when Harold noted he had attended London's Hill House School with the prince 44 years ago.
They talked for some time about their school days and the Prince heard how Clive's life had taken a downward turn about ten years ago.
Clive had come from a privileged background, living in the most desirable part of London, opposite a member of the English Royal family.
Clive had told the Prince that selling the magazine had brought discipline back into his life, "It gives people a purpose and discipline in their lives."
He sells the Big Issue outside a train station in London, and at this time of year he dons a red Father Christmas hat, which he asked the Prince to try on.
Prince Charles, not surprisingly, politely refused.
Clive Harold had a philosophical reaction to his meeting with the Prince, finding similarities in their respective lives, despite them being poles apart.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It was strange, because my family home is in Launceston Place and Princess Margaret lived opposite , you know, and it was all......it was all up, up an running. He went to Gordonstone, and I went to Millfield, and it was, you know...and the idea that we would meet 44 years later, and I'd be on the streets, he'd be obviously where he is now...erm...
it was, it was strange, it was strange. But he was very encouraging, and he enjoys the project here, as I do, and because he's been through his own pain , and you know his life has taken all sorts of twists and turns, as mine has, we sort of had a...... we sort of had a meeting of minds"
SUPER CAPTION: Clive Harold, former school colleague and Big Issue vendor
Prince Charles went on to tour the jobs education and training section of the Big Issue Foundation, the company's charity wing.
The Big Issue has become an overwhelming success, founded in London it can now be bought in most of Europe's capitals.
Vendors of the publication receive a proportion of the cover price, which gives them a small income, a degree of self respect, but most importantly a sense of purpose.
