A mystery bidder has paid �80,000 for the privilege of having tea with the Prince of Wales and a personal tour of his Gloucestershire estate garden.

The Prince offered the lot for an auction held in central London to raise funds for children's charities.

The man who made the successful bid at the charity evening at Somerset House, wants his identity to remain a secret.

Prince Charles had the idea for the auction lot

Charles will show his VIP guest around his gardens at his home at Highgrove, before inviting him in for tea and biscuits.

The exclusive auction nine days ago was attended by a host of celebrities and millionaires who paid at least �5,000 per ticket.

Sir Elton John performed to the 200 guests to help raise �2.1m for children's charity Ark and the Somerset House Trust.

Guests also included Elle Macpherson, Joanna Lumley, Jemima Khan and Sophie Dahl.

Princely prize

Actress Joanna Lumley oversaw the bidding for the Prince's prize which stopped at �75,000.

But the Sunday Telegraph reports that she then caught the eye of a man at the front table, who bid �80,000.

An aide to Charles told the paper: "The prize was the Prince's idea because nobody (on his staff) would have been presumptuous enough to suggest it to him."

Other lots included a chance to meet Arsenal football stars and a day's pheasant and partridge shooting at Madonna and Guy Ritchie's �9m country estate.

The black-tie event was co-hosted by Lord Rothschild and Lily Safra.

Absolute Return for Kids (Ark) helps youngsters in the UK who are the victims of abuse, disability, illness and poverty.

It also works with deprived children in eastern Europe, including the aftermath of war in Kosovo.