Prince Charles told a woman of Guyanese descent who told him she was from Manchester that: 'You don't look it!'
Author Anita Sethi met the Prince of Wales at the Commonwealth People's Forum where she was speaking earlier this week. The day was scheduled to discuss 'Politics of Hope: Taking on Injustice in the Commonwealth'.
The prince met the Ms Sethi before the Commonwealth heads of government meeting, where it was today announced Charles will succeed the Queen as Head of the 53-nation global body.
Ms Sethi said she shook the prince's hand and told him her mother was born in Guyana, a former British colony in South America, and she had written an essay for an anthology, which she was carrying, about descendants of indenture.
She claimed Prince Charles then asked: 'And where are you from?'
When she replied 'Manchester, UK' he said 'Well, you don't look like it' and laughed, before he was quickly ushered on.
The author wrote that she was 'stunned' by the gaffe.
'Prince Charles was endorsed by the Queen, in her opening speech to the heads of government, to be the future head of the Commonwealth: it's her 'sincere wish' that he become so' she said.