The Prince of Wales has come under fire after he became the patron of a homeopathy group, the Faculty of Homeopathy, which supports registered medical professionals with alternative treatment.

Following the announcement on Tuesday, Prince Charles came under criticism from scientists for associating himself with a group that is dedicated to a practice whose worth has come under question and which is banned by the NHS.

The Government’s chief medical officer, Dame Sally Davies, also once dismissed the practice, telling a parliamentary committee that homeopathy was “rubbish”.

Emeritus Professor Edzard Ernst, who had previously labelled Prince Charles a "snake oil salesman" and claimed he had to retire early from University of Exeter after a complaint from the Prince’s private secretary questioned how Prince Charles could make a difference in his post.

“In view of Charles’s long love affair with homeopathy, this news is unsurprising.