The Prince of Wales today mounted a defence of his views on education, claiming through his press secretary that he had been misunderstood.

Prince Charles himself also made joking reference to his "fiendishly old-fashioned views" on education at a public engagement today, and declined to apologise for them.

The Prince has been criticised for remarks in a private memo, deploring the learning culture based on a "child-centred system which admits no failure", in schools which encouraged young people to think they were capable of anything.

Charles Clarke, the Education Secretary, made a surprising breach with protocol on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning, to launch a savage critique of the Prince's views.

"To be quite frank I think he is very old-fashioned and out of time and he doesn't understand what is going on in the British education system at the moment," said Mr Clarke.

"I think that he should think carefully before intervening in that debate. That is what I really think."

A former National Union of Students firebrand who is now one of Tony Blair's most trusted lieutenants, Mr Clarke went on: "We can't all be born to be king but we can all have a position where we can really aspire for ourselves and for our families to do the very best they possibly can. I want to encourage that culture rather than the other way round."

The war of words continued as the Prince appeared at a tourist conference and refused to back down on his views.

He said that 12 years ago he was "ridiculed for having yet more old-fashioned views" about tourism and architecture’s need to be environmentally friendly. He added: "But now people realise that old-fashioned views are coming round again."

Charles went on: "Perhaps my fiendishly old-fashioned views of 12 years ago are not so old-fashioned now.

"There is a growing awareness of green issues and people are now at last dealing with the issues of closing the gap between rich and poor."

Later Paddy Harverson, Charles's communication secretary, said the Prince of Wales's views had been misrepresented and the public "reaction" was to that misrepresentation.

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