It has been said before that the Prince of Wales, a fan of Doctor Who since the age of 15, would make quite a good Time Lord.

And when he emerged from a Tardis in Kuala Lumpar,  he could almost have been mistaken for one, bar a rather bashful comment that perhaps he should have taken a different door.

The Prince, who is on an 11-day tour of south-east Asia and India, was visiting a working space for start-up companies when he gamely stepped into the makeshift Tardis.

He was no doubt relieved that he was only transported a few feet into a members-only area, where he met young entrepreneurs, tech savvy school children showcasing projects and established businesses.

The Tardis was created as the doorway from a public space into a private area and, as staff walked through a nearby side entrance, the heir to the throne emerged from the replica of the BBC character’s sci-fi machine.

He joked that he should perhaps of followed suit, telling onlookers: “I should have gone through the side (door)” before sitting down to a meeting with executives from some of Malaysia’s established technology firms.

When the Prince paid a visit to the Doctor Who set in Cardiff four years ago, he told former Doctor Matt Smith and his co-star Jenna-Louise Coleman that he was a dedicated fan of the drama.

After a valiant attempt at a Dalek impersonation, yelling “exterminate, exterminate” through a microphone attached to a voice modulator, the show’s lead writer, Stephen Moffat, said: “Prince Charles’s attempt at being a Dalek was great. There would be a part in the show for him if he wanted it.”

Smith added: “He’s got the makings of a future Doctor!”

The Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall, who earlier this week was flying solo in Singapore, are due to carry out a series of engagements throughout the day.