AAP
The Prince of Wales knew his turn was coming, and when asked to show off his cricket skills, he didn't hesitate.
Prince Charles stopped by the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Tuesday, watching about 50 young Victorians hone their skills in a clinic.
"I knew someone would say that - OK, give it to me," the prince said after someone urged him to have a bowl.
Perhaps sensing his slow, short deliveries weren't quite matching the standard set by the youngsters, he reminded them: "I broke my arm in two places, so I can't do it as well as I used to."
The prince mingled with Victorian Bushrangers Cameron White and David Hussey, state sporting dignitaries and dozens of local young players from various cricket leagues.
He asked the wide-eyed youngsters of indigenous, intellectually-disabled, ethically diverse and other backgrounds in Cricket Victoria's Harmony clinic about their love of the game and urged them to keep it up.
Akat Mayoum, 16, who plays for the multicultural Sunshine Heights team, said the prince was "a pretty friendly chap; really relaxed".
Charles then left the ground, leaving one hallmark of hallowed Melbourne behind for another at Flemington for the Melbourne Cup.
He earlier visited the Australian Tapestry Workshop in South Melbourne, where he was met with cheers from a small band of fans including a church group holding bouquets and shouting, "We love you".
The prince, wearing a mid blue pinstripe suit with pale blue pinstripe shirt and tie complete with a red poppy pinned on, turned his hand to a bit of weaving.
The unfinished tapestry, a homage to the suburb of Whittlesea in Melbourne's north, is destined for the foyer of The Northern Hospital.
Northern Hospital tapestry donor Alex Robertson shared a short chat with the prince as he pored with the work.
"He was fascinated," Mr Robertson said.
"I said to him your occupation as a prince is much better than a weaver. A most delightful man."
Charles also spoke to students from Coolaroo South Primary School who were doing art workshops.
He sat next to smiling nine-year-old Muna Hassan, who told him her favourite subjects were art and maths.
He joked about using a compass, as the children have done in their projects.
"I've already done the weaving," he quipped.
Later, Muna said the prince told her he wasn't that good at maths.
"I asked him if he'd like to try the compass and he said not in front of the TV and all that, then he laughed.
"I said it was a bad opportunity."
Art teacher Amber Khokhar said Charles seemed impressed with the standard of the children's work.
"I think he was very pleased," she said.
Established in 1976, the workshop is the only one of its kind in Australia and just one of a handful in the world that produces handwoven tapestries.
The prince and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, are on a six-day Australian tour to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
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