Prince Charles tonight wades into the Brexit debate when he calls on Britain to keep its close ties with the European Union after we leave.

He will make the plea when he speaks at a Berlin gathering in what some will see as comments on our bungled departure.

The Prince of Wales is to say to guests: “Today, we are so much more than ­neighbours… we are friends and natural ­partners, bound together by our common experience, mutual interests and shared values and deeply invested in each others’ futures. It is a ­relationship in transition.

“But whatever the shape of our future relationship, and whatever is negotiated and agreed between governments and institutions, it is more clear to me than it has ever been, that the bonds between us will, and must, endure.

“And that our young people, and future generations, will have as much cause to cherish those bonds as our generation has had. Our countries and people have been through so much together.

(Image: Getty Images)

“As we look towards the future, I can only hope that we can also pledge to redouble our commitment to each other and to the ties between us.

“In so doing, we can ensure that our ­continent will never again see the division and conflict of the past. That together, we will continue to be an indispensable force for good in our world and that the friendships and ­partnerships that bind us together will continue to create opportunity for us all.” Charles is due to speak at the Queen’s Birthday Party, an annual event hosted by the British Ambassador at his ­residence in Berlin.

He and wife Camilla embark on a tour of Germany less than 24 hours after the birth of his fourth grandchild was announced by Prince Harry in Windsor.

At the event, Charles will point to the “extraordinary change” that has taken place across Europe “these past decades”. Referring to his German heritage, he will add: “Berlin is a proud statement of just how far we have come and of the enduring hope of past, present and future generations.

(Image: PA)

“It offers a powerful reminder that we must take nothing for granted, and of how today, as for centuries, the fortunes of all of us who share this small continent are so tightly interwoven by the myriad connections between us.

“For some of us, of course, these connections are particularly personal.

“For me there are so many family connections and associations with Germany, as indeed with so many parts of Europe, going back for generations.”

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The prince’s words will come just months after the Queen urged people to tolerate the views of others in what were seen as remarks on the Brexit row that has deeply divided Britain.

Speaking at an event in Sandringham, Norfolk, she told guests: “As we look for new answers in the modern age, I prefer the tried and tested recipes, like speaking well of each other and respecting different points of view, coming together to seek out the common ground, and never losing sight of the bigger picture.”