PRINCE CHARLES was compared to the average pub bore yesterday after the release of letters he sent to government ministers revealed a catalogue of “barmy” views.

Twenty seven “black spider” letters — so-called because of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s scrawled handwriting — sent by him to Labour ministers between 2004 and 2005 were published after a 10-year legal fight. They show that he lobbied former Labour PM Tony Blair to cull badgers to tackle bovine TB and to bring back herbal medicine and acupuncture on the NHS.

Labour MP Paul Flynn said these “highly unscientific” arguments were the most alarming among the letters, which he dubbed a mixture of good, eccentric and barmy ideas.