According to documents released under the Freedom of Information act, Prince Charles has met Cabinet Ministers including George Osborne, the Chancellor, for talks at Clarence House.
The ministers, who on some occasions were accompanied by their mandarins, seemed to have been chosen for their involvement in issues close to the Prince's heart such as climate change, architecture, agriculture and conservation.
Among those who held private meetings with Prince Charles were Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, and Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman.
In many cases both the Ministers involved and the Prince refused to disclose what was discussed, using a clause in the Freedom of Information Act that extends special privacy to the Royal Family.
Making information on the discussions public would compromise the Prince's ability to perform his public duty, they said.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley and Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who also met with him, would not even confirm if they had discussed political issues.
It is understood, however, that Mrs Spelman twice discussed the issue of 'tree health' with him while he held a one-to-one meeting with Climate Change Minister Greg Barker about global warming at a conference in Norway.
Maurice Frankel, of the Campaign for the Freedom of Information, said evidence that the Prince was maintaining a regular dialogue with ministers rendered unsustainable the changes to Section 37 of the FOI Act.
Mr Frankel said: "There is a legitimate case to made, for example, in protecting discussions between the Queen and the Prime Minister. But this type of roving lobbying by Prince Charles is a different matter. There is a question as to whether any political role he might be taking is being concealed by the use of this exemption. It should be made subject to review and, in some circumstances, the release of that information is justified."
Prince Charles has frequently hit the headlines for his habit of taking ministers and officials to task on subjects close to his heart, sending handwritten letters which became known as "black spider memos" among ministers because of his distinctively sprawling handwriting style.
Royal sources said that, although private, the Prince's meetings with ministers were published in the Court Circular and he had a constitutional obligation to be "instructed in the business of government". It is understood that several of his meetings up until this March were at the instigation of ministers.
Clarence House issued a statement which said: "In his role as heir, the Prince of Wales has a duty to meet and communicate regularly with Government ministers.
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