Prince Charles is to get help in cutting his carbon footprint from a Richmond multi-millionaire.

Together with the Duchess of Cornwall the Prince of Wales is due to take an 11 day tour of the Caribbean next month.

And he will do it on the Leander, a motor yacht owned by Sir Donald Gosling who lives in Hampton Wick.

Sir Donald made millions from his company National Car Parks (NCP) which he founded with partner, Ronald Hobson, on a bomb site in 1948.

It earned him £290million when the company was sold in 1998.

Leander, one of the most expensive British-registered yachts to charter at around £280,000 a week, has a crew of 24.

It is understood that Sir Donald, who knows the Prince well, has agreed a generous deal with the Government for using his yacht.

According to Clarence House the Leander was cheaper than chartering an aircraft to fly the royal party and would be better for the environment - producing about 40 per cent less in carbon emissions.

A Clarence House spokesman said the trip "will reinforce Britain's ties with the important Commonwealth countries of Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia and Jamaica and the UK Overseas Territory of Montserrat.

"It will advance key British Government priorities in the promotion of sustainable development, environmental protection and youth opportunity."