Prince Charles 'worst bowler' on retirement home visit

The Prince of Wales tries his best at 10-pin bowling in Washington Credit: Reuters

Prince Charles turned down the offer of a pair of bowling shoes on a trip to a 10-pin bowling alley in Washington today - and failed to get a strike.

With the Duchess of Cornwall standing by his side, the prince accepted the challenge to try his hand at the sport in an alley built for US Armed Forces veterans.

Camilla laughs as Prince Charles attempts to strike it lucky on a visit to the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington Credit: Reuters

However, the 66-year-old warned his elderly audience that "I haven't done this for a long time" and his bowl ran wide, clipping just three pins.

He turned to a smiling Camilla and said "At least I got one".

Prince Charles looks dismayed after hitting only three pins Credit: Reuters

Bill Bowen, an 80-year-old retired staff sergeant from the US Air Force, said: "He did pretty good," adding "I told him I was the worst bowler in this alley and he said 'no, I am'."

The Prince of Wales' ancestor Henry VIII famously had a bowling alley built at Hampton Court Palace, but Charles appears not to have inherited the Tudor king's bowling arm.