Prince Charles pays off royal debt ... 350 years late

Heir to the throne Prince Charles on Tuesday paid off a family debt incurred more than 350 years ago -- but was spared the accumulated interest that could have run into tens of thousands of pounds.

Charles handed over 453 pounds and 15 pence (572 euros and 20 euro cents, 885 dollars and four cents) which King Charles II failed to pay to the Clothiers Company in Worcester, central England, in 1651.

The king had commissioned uniforms for his troops to fight the republican forces of Oliver Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester the same year.

The modern-day Charles handed over the cash on a visit to the former headquarters of the royalist troops in the Faithful City, so-called because it remained loyal to his ancestor during the English Civil War.

"It seems that members of the Clothiers Company have a long memory," he said. "By long I mean nearly 400 years. Nevertheless, as a gesture of good will I come today prepared to honour this debt of 453 pounds and three shillings.

"I suspect that it will not have escaped your notice, however, I am resisting the immense temptation to pay the debt with full interest.I was not born yesterday."

The high commissioner of the Clothiers Company, Philip Sawyer, accepted the money and gave the future king a receipt.

If interest was taken into account, 453 pounds and three shillings in 1651 would have been worth approximately 47,500 pounds in 2007.

英国王位继承人查尔斯王储于本周二还清了英国王室350多年前欠的一笔旧债，但好几万英镑的高额利息却一笔勾销。

查尔斯王储于当天偿还了这笔共计453英镑15便士（相当于572. 20欧元或885.04美元）的债务，这笔旧债是英国国王查尔斯二世于1651年在英格兰中部城市伍斯特的一家制衣公司欠下的。

国王曾委托这家制衣公司制作军装。同年，国王的军队在伍斯特战役中抵抗奥立弗•克伦威尔的共和军。

如今的查尔斯在近日访问这座“忠诚之城”的前皇家军队总部时，特地前往这家公司还清旧债。伍斯特之所以被称为“忠诚之城”，是因为它在英国内战时期一直忠于王室。

查尔斯说：“这家公司的员工看来记性不错，这笔债务近400年了，但为了表示诚意，我今天特地来还清这笔453英镑3先令的旧债。”

“我想你们不会忘记这笔债，但我不会支付利息，我可不是三岁小孩哦。”

该公司高级专员菲力普·索耶代收了这笔钱并为查尔斯王储开具了收据。

如果将利息计算在内，截至2007年，这笔于1651年欠下的453英镑3先令的债务本息总计约4.75万英镑。