Prince of Wales backing England to prevail in Sunday’s decider with Italy

Charles also revealed to regulars at the Ponthir House Inn in South Wales he would be watching the final on Sunday at home but that supporting the national team was not good for the nerves.

Earlier Charles showed that, if England are in need of a penalty taker during their big match on Sunday, he has the skills for the job.

The heir to the throne showed off his ball control when he met young entrepreneurs supported in starting their businesses by the Cardiff office of The Prince’s Trust.

When football coach Zoe Denman-Ellis, founder of Lundby Juniors an academy for young women players, offered him the chance to shoot at a goal a few metres away, Charles said: “I’d be extremely disappointed if I missed that”.

After scoring he joked: “It takes a hell of a lot of practice.”

During his visit to the pub in the village of Ponthir near Newport, the prince chatted to regular Colin Morgan, who said later: “He said he wouldn’t be going to Wembley, but his eldest son would be.

“And he said ‘it’s not good for the nerves, watching England play’.”

The prince had donned an apron to pull a pint of the local beer, Butty Bach, behind the bar and Landlord Barrie Walden joked: “We are short staffed at the moment.”

Taking a sip, Charles declared it “very good,” before raising his glass to wish staff and regulars “Good luck!”.

Moving on, he stopped to chat to locals, spotting one man with a pint of cider and asked: “How many glasses do you have to have before you feel it, or lose feeling?”

The Ponthir House Inn has been supported with expert help and a Community Services Fund grant from Charles’s “Pub is the Hub” initiative.

Launched in 2001, the not-for-profit organisation offers independent specialist advice to publicans to help them provide viable local services at the heart of their community.

The visit was the last event of Charles’ week-long tour of Wales with the Duchess of Cornwall, and the sporting theme continued when he joined in with a game of bowls in the car park of the village pub.

As he crouched to roll his ball towards the jack, the prince giggled and said: “Do I have to get right down to do this?

“That’s a test one!” he said as the ball rolled slowly.

“Oh, you can chuck it up in the air!

“There you go, I knew I shouldn’t have had the Butty Bach.”

As Charles walked away from the bowls giggling, he shrugged and joked: “It’s all absolute balls to me.”

The prince began his day by showing off his cricketing skills during a visit to Glamorgan Cricket Club, with mixed results.

Charles laughed as he took up his stance for bowler Hannaa Zaman’s first delivery, only to miss the ball on his first attempt.

“I need to get my eye in,” laughed the heir to the throne, before successfully hitting the second ball to cheers and applause.

The prince, who has been patron of the club in Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, since 1986, was there to mark its centenary year as a first class county and spoke of his pride in the club’s progress over the years.