Charles prepares to go back to old school

MELBOURNE - He may have turned down the offer of a buck's party in Alice Springs but Prince Charles will tonight prove he's not completely adverse to a night out.

After a sleep-in at Victoria's Government House this morning (his first appointment is not until noon) the Prince of Wales will have a busy afternoon with politicians, athletes and school children before heading back to his own former student days at Geelong Grammar.

Tonight Prince Charles will help launch the 150th anniversary celebrations at the exclusive school.

As a 17-year-old, he spent two terms as a student at the school's Timbertop campus, near Mansfield in northern Victoria, in 1966. He last visited in 1974.

President of the school's alumni club, Old Geelong Grammarians, Fran Sillcock said the Prince's attendance was an honour for the school community.

"We're honoured that the Prince of Wales has found the time in is busy schedule to attend the launch of Geelong Grammar School's 150th birthday celebrations," Mrs Sillcock said.

The Prince expressed his disappointment yesterday at not being able to find time for a buck's party, thrown in his honour in an Alice Springs nightclub last night.

The locals were left on their own to drink the 10 or 12 cases of grog they had ordered while the future monarch took a Royal Australian Air Force aircraft to Melbourne.

He was said to be settling in for a quiet night in with Governor John Landy.

"The Governor will receive his Royal Highness, that will be a quiet night in," a state government spokesman said from one of the convoy of cars accompanying the royal guest from the airport.

His busy afternoon today begins with a walk through the Farmers Market with Lord Mayor John So around noon.

At 12.25pm he will be welcomed by traditional owners at Zinc in Federation Square before he attends a business seminar and launches a Melbourne scheme to boost corporate volunteering.

An hour later he will be the guest at a state reception hosted by Deputy Premier John Thwaites in Federation Square's National Gallery of Victoria.

Around 2.30pm he is planning to visit Coburg North Primary School with Premier Steve Bracks before Commonwealth Games Minister Justin Madden introduces him to some of the state's elite athletes in the State Netball Hockey Centre.

Even the Melbourne weather is set to impress the Prince.

Getting off the plane in Alice Springs he commented that the 38 degree heat was "like getting into an oven. My blood is still too thick".

Melbourne's weather today is predicted to be fine with a maximum of 24.

- AAP