Prince Charles sees the coronavirus pandemic as a chance to reset the global economy

Speaking at the opening of a World Economic Forum (WEF) virtual meeting, Charles said: “We have a unique but rapidly shrinking window of opportunity to learn lessons and reset ourselves on a more sustainable path.

“We have a golden opportunity to seize something good from this crisis. Its unprecedented shockwaves may well make people more receptive to big visions of change.”

Charles set out five steps that will help countries rebuild their economies following a global recession, including making sure any economic recovery is also sustainable for the planet.

Since recovering from the illness himself, Charles has been vocal about the impact the virus will have on daily life, as he recently urged people to buy local cheese to keep cheesemongers in business, and delivered a moving speech on behalf of musicians who have had concerts axed in recent months.

In his touching tribute to musicians facing financial hardship, he said: "My heart goes out to them in these anxious times.

"It is heartbreaking to think of all the hard work that has gone into planning this year's concert seasons, the summer music festivals, the opera and ballet productions around the country, all of which have had to be cancelled.

"You can imagine the effect on the lives and livelihoods of those incredibly gifted musicians, singers and dancers.”

And speaking about the dangers facing the British cheese industry, Charles - who is patron of the Specialty Cheesemakers Association - explained: "One thing that undoubtedly brings many of us great comfort is good food. It is, therefore, deeply troubling to learn that this crisis risks destroying one of the most wonderful joys in life - British cheese!

"By sourcing British cheese from local shops and cheesemongers, and directly from producers online, you can make a vital contribution to keeping these small businesses afloat during the prevailing crisis."