King Charles eats daily slices from the same cake until it’s finished as part of a drive to curb his personal food waste, it is understood.

The monarch has been a life-long environmentalist, with a history of campaigning for organic food, better conservation and tackling climate change.

His latest venture, The Coronation Food Project, will coincide with his 75th birthday in November and will run for a minimum of five years with the aim of tackling food poverty and escalating food waste.

In the UK, 12 million tons of food is thrown away each year, almost three quarters of which could be eaten according to AMCS, a waste management company. In contrast, an estimated 4.7 million people are living in food poverty according to a House of Commons report. It’s a situation that is of “increasing concern” for the King.