A BRADFORD drama teacher visited Buckingham Palace yesterday for the Prince of Wales' 70th birthday celebrations.

Damien O’Keeffe, who works at Bradford College, was a guest at the garden party where Prince Charles celebrated his birthday with friends from more than 400 charities.

The Prince turns 70 in November and the party kicked off a series of celebrations for the heir to the throne. The guest list included representatives of each of the charities of which he is patron and the military regiments with which he is affiliated.

Mr O'Keeffe's invitation came as a result of his work at Bradford College with the Royal Shakespeare Company, of which the Prince is president.

The college is a Lead Associate School for the RSC which means it works in partnership with the world-famous theatre company, and Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre, to bring Shakespeare’s work to school children across the region through workshops and performance projects.

The college is one of only a handful of schools and college’s nationwide to have lead school status within the RSC’s education programme.

Mr O'Keeffe, from Bingley, said it had been a "glorious" day.

He said: "I was very proud to be representing Bradford College and celebrating the wonderful work we do for the city’s young people through the Bradford Associate Schools project with the Royal Shakespeare Company education team and the Alhambra Theatre.

“It was a pleasure to meet everyone from the RSC and a privilege to share the day with them and representatives of more than 400 charities and organisations which Prince Charles supports.

“It was a lovely day and great to meet so many inspiring people.”

Former Bradford College student Kirk Wilber-Moran also received one of the coveted invitations. Kirk, who studied performing arts and dance at the college between 2000 and 2002, is events manager for Prince Charles’ youth charity, The Prince’s Trust, in Yorkshire, Humber and the North East.