BRIDPORT: A former Colfox pupil appointed Colombian consul met Prince Charles during his official visit to the south American country.

Rupert Stebbings, the first non native vice president of Bancolombia, was appointed a consul in the spring and was chosen to meet the Prince at at the Ambassador's residence, with the country’s president Juan Manuel Santos Calderón and his ministers, then join him for a reception on the HMS Argyll in Cartagena.

Proud mum Daphne Mundy said her son, being from Dorset, had an interesting meeting with the Prince and chatted to him about Poundbury and the Joseph Weld Hospice, which she is involved with.

Mrs Mundy said: “Rupert has a day job and after meeting the Prince he went back to Medellin where he works before flying to Cartagena to meet the Prince again for a reception on board HMS Argyll.”

Mrs Mundy said Rupert went to Colfox School, then Liverpool University for a degree in history and PE, before studying to be a photojournalist at the London College of Printing.

She said he never worked as a photojournalist but ended up working in the City with private bank Robert Flemings. When it was bought out he was offered a job at Deutsche Bank and ended up on Wall Street.

He moved to Colombia where he was interviewed by Colombian TV journalist Tatiana Velásquez.

He married her in 2011 – and far from missing Wall Street his mum says he is very happy there.

She said: “He loves it there. He speaks fluent Spanish and works as an investment banker but his job as a consul has nothing to do with the bank. British people go to him when they are in trouble.

“It is nice to think that somebody from Colfox School has done so well.”

Their Royal Highnesses were received by President Santos and the First Lady at an official welcome ceremony at Casa de Nariño, the Presidential Palace in Bogota.

Other engagements in Bogota focused on traditional arts and crafts, historical architecture, organic food and wool, trade and investment and a celebration of the British Council’s 75th anniversary in Colombia.

They ended their visit at a sunset ceremony on board HMS Argyll.

The Prince, whose only other visit to Colombia was in 1974 as a Royal Naval officer on HMS Minerva, took part in this ceremony as the Admiral of the Fleet.