Royal couple Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall became the most high profile faces to get caught up the student protest over tuition fee increases when their chauffeur driven Rolls Royce limo was attacked in Central London yesterday.

Charles and Camilla were making the short journey from St James Palace to the London Palladium for this year’s Royal Variety Performance when they came under attack from protesters on Regent Street.

Once the protesters spotted the Royal couple travelling onboard the Rolls Royce surrounded by police security they set about targeting the vehicle, throwing bins in the road to stop the car, pelting it with objects and paint, kicking the doors and at one point, smashing a window on the luxury car.

Photographers captured the terrified looks on the royal’s faces as their vehicle was pounced on by the protestors, with Camilla in particular, looking especially shaken.

It was estimated that some 20,000 students took to the streets bringing parts of central London to a standstill yesterday as they protested over the Government’s plans to increase University tuition fees. In some cases fees could be tripled at a cost of £9,000 per year for each student.

Following the Royal’s official engagement at the London Palladium, they were transported back to St James Palace in the back of a police van for their own safety.