Prince Charles' shoe size? Foreign Office reveals weird tourist requests

One caller asked for Prince Charles' shoe size. Photo: PA

In a bid to remind holidaymakers that it is only there to help with genuine overseas emergencies, the Foreign Office has released a list of hilarious tourist requests that British consulates abroad are being faced with.

One caller from Spain asked what size shoe Prince Charles wears so he could send him a pair as a present; another naughty caller asked staff to contact his dominatrix after she left him stranded at the airport; and one person wanted to know Phil Collins' phone number.

As well as exasperating enquiries like whether they could sell a man's holiday home (yes, really), Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates are constantly asked to provide weather forecasts and ticket bookings.

Minister for consular affairs Jeremy Brownetold Travel Mole: 'We will always try to help where we can but there are limits to the support that we can provide.

'Our priority is to help people in real difficulty abroad and we cannot do this if our time is diverted by people trying to use us as a concierge service.

'We need to be able to focus primarily on helping victims of serious crimes, supporting people who have been detained or assisting people who have lost a loved one abroad.'

See more enquiries received by the Foreign Office below:

1) A man called the Consulate in Florida to report that there were ants in his holiday villa and asked for advice on what he should do.

2) A lady complained to the Embassy in Moscow about a loud buzzing noise in her apartment – she wanted someone to visit her flat and advise the authorities to stop the noise.

3) A man asked a Consulate in Greece for information on how to go about putting a chicken coop in his garden.

4) A man asked Consular staff in Dubai to meet his dog on arrival at customs and help the dog through the customs process, as he would be on holiday when the dog arrived.

5) A caller asked staff in Malaga in mid-September where she could get a Christmas lunch as everywhere she had phoned was already booked up.

6) Staff in Greece were asked for tips on the best fishing spots and where to purchase good bait.


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