11 MAY 2005

Just as his youngest son gets down to the rigours of military training at Sandhurst, the Prince of Wales has headed off for a tranquil break in eastern Europe. Prince Charles, who accompanied Harry when he enrolled at the officer training academy on Sunday, has jetted into Romania to spend five days visiting its famous religious buildings.

The future king arrived on a private visit to the small southern town of Horezu on Monday where he is staying for three days at its 17th-century monastery. On his first afternoon in the village he paid a visit to a local pottery workshop and offered to help out with the day's work.

"He came in and asked if he could help while we were working," revealed Michaela Plesoi afterwards. "He painted a plate we had made and listened very carefully to what he was supposed to do. I plan to keep this plate - it's made with traditional Romanian motifs and it's not every day I see a prince working in my workshop. He was quite a sociable person and laughed all the time – he seemed to be enjoying what he was doing."

During his stay the heir to the throne is also planning to go hiking in the picturesque Buila Mountains and travel to several other monasteries in the area. Notable by her absence, though, was new wife Camilla, who has not joined him for the trip. It's already well-known the Prince occasionally likes to take some time alone, as he regularly travels to the remote religious community of Mount Athos in northern Greece to spend a few days in solitude.

Here Charles is seen on a visit to Darulzafaran Monastery in Turkey

Horezu Monastery where the heir to the throne is currently staying