The Prince of Wales met one of his biggest fans when he was introduced to a boy who insists on dressing just like him.
Six-year-old Benjamin Cooper studied the Royal Family at school and ever since has worn a suit to be just like Charles.
The Prince met Ben and his family as he arrived in Redcar for a visit to hear about the closure of the local steel plant.
He will meet members of the multi-agency SSI Task Force which was set up after the announcement last year that the historic Teesside plant was to shut with the loss of almost 2,000 jobs.
Welcomed by children playing drums and blowing whistles, Charles shielded himself from the rain with an umbrella as he spent time greeting well-wishers.
He will also meet members of the Industrial Cadets initiative, a work-experience programme inspired by a visit he made to Redcar in 2010.
Shaking Ben’s hand, who was accompanied by his parents, Elaine and Ian, and sister, Eve, the Prince laughed as they explained their son’s admiration for him.
Ben said: “I like him because he was the smartest dressed when we studied them at school.
“I like to dress smart so I can be like Charles.”
Mrs Cooper said Ben had been doing it for 18 months now and even dresses smartly for friends’ parties.
“The present he asked for was a smart suit so he could be like the Prince,” she said.