Paparazzi-style photographs of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall enjoying a day off at the beach in Barbados have been published online.

Looking trim and relaxed, the bare-chested future king was pictured wearing a pair of colourful shorts and standing in the surf during a break on Monday from the rigours of an official tour of the Caribbean.

The heir to the throne was with wife Camilla, who was in her one-piece swimming costume in the photographs featured on various websites.

News of the pictures broke after British newspapers went to press, and it remains to be seen if they will feature them in Wednesday’s editions.

A letter from the prince’s solicitor has been sent to press organisations highlighting his reasonable expectation to privacy.

A source said the pictures were taken during a brief off-duty moment on a major international tour on behalf of the Government, in circumstances where the couple would have a reasonable expectation of privacy during private down time.

Clarence House has declined to comment.

In the series of pictures, the heir to the throne and his wife are seen strolling along the sand with their matching hotel beach towels under their arms.

The prince is wearing a pair of multi-coloured flower-print trunks while his wife is in a dark blue one-piece costume.

Charles is seen up to his thighs in the turquoise water, and in another image he has emerged after a dip and has wet hair.

The couple have been staying at a well-known luxury resort on the scenic west coast of the island, an area popular with celebrities like footballer Wayne Rooney.