Prince Charles jokes about his days as a coastguard

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The Prince of Wales is Patron of the Youth United Foundation
Attended the Youth United Social Action Awards at Buckingham Palace
Celebrated the work of the uniformed youth organisations
Prince joked about his days as a schoolboy coastguard

Published: 13:35 EST, 31 January 2017 | Updated: 13:35 EST, 31 January 2017

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The Prince of Wales has joked about his days as a schoolboy coastguard, wishing an aircraft carrier would run aground so he could save everyone on board.

Speaking at an award ceremony recognising the achievements of members of uniformed youth organisations such as the Scouts and St John Ambulance, he said his time as a young volunteer was 'very good' for him.

The Social Action Awards were organised by the umbrella organisation Youth United which, through its charitable arm, funds the creation of new volunteering places for youngsters in deprived and disadvantaged areas of the country.

The Prince of Wales, Patron of the Youth United Foundation, attended the Youth United Social Action Awards at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. The inaugural Youth United Social Action Awards celebrated the work of the uniformed youth organisations and the achievements of thousands of young people who have made an outstanding effort to bring about positive change in their local community

The Prince, who is Youth United's founder and patron, told guests at the Buckingham Palace ceremony: 'Interestingly, I was a cadet myself years ago, dread to think it was in the 1960s I suppose, and I did rather enjoy my time as a cadet, very good for me it was I think.'

Speaking about his time at Gordonstoun school in Morayshire, Charles added: 'And also, I then became a coastguard at the school I was at in Scotland.

'We actually had to do real-life coastguard work.'

He made his audience laugh when he said: 'We had a coastguard lookout on the coast on the cliffs, and most of the time we spent hoping that some enormous aircraft carrier would run aground so that we could rescue the entire crew with what was then a very complicated set of breeches buoys.'

Prince Charles appeared rather taken by a cheeky little girl at the event. The vast majority of the young people, who are aged between four and 25-years old, have come from disadvantaged areas which have benefited from Youth United's work to create more than 40,000 new places within groups such as the Army Cadet Force, Fire Cadets, The Scout Association, Sea Cadets, St John Ambulance and Volunteer Police Cadet

The Social Action Awards highlight the achievements of new branches of Youth United member organisations

The winners ranged from volunteer police cadets from Wisbech fire station and Meadowgate in Cambridgeshire

Prince Charles poses with all the winners in the grand surroundings of Buckingham Palace

The royal greets cadets from the royal air force at the event he organised

Before the presentations were made, Rob Wilson, the minister for civil society, gave a speech

The father-of-two was in high spirits as he laughed and chatted away to guests

Prince Charles, an avid fan of dogs, petted a black Labrador at the event

Speaking about his time at Gordonstoun school in Morayshire, pictured in 1967 after returning from school, Charles added: 'And also, I then became a coastguard at the school I was at in Scotland'

Youth United is made up of 11 member organisations from the RAF Air Cadets and the Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade to the Scout Association and Girlguiding.

The Social Action Awards highlight the achievements of new branches of Youth United member organisations.

The winners ranged from volunteer police cadets from Wisbech fire station and Meadowgate in Cambridgeshire, who cleared litter from a local area, to Newham Cornwell VC Sea Cadets from London, who made up toiletry shoeboxes for the homeless.

The inaugural Youth United Social Action Awards celebrate the work of the uniformed youth

The Prince applauded the efforts of the winners at Buckingham Palace

Kim Pybus, the executive officer of the winning sea cadets organisation, said: 'The shoebox project for a homeless shelter was amazing, it was the juniors' pocket money that actually purchased all the items for the shoeboxes - socks, hats, gloves and other essential items a homeless person would need.'

Before the presentations were made, Rob Wilson, the minister for civil society, gave a speech and told the guests: 'We know that by giving young people an opportunity at an early age, they go on to become leaders of their own social change and help to build strong communities.'