( CNN ) -- Prince Charles is learning Arabic but said he 's having a difficult time of it . At a networking event Thursday in Qatar for alumni of UK universities , he complimented guests on their impeccable English . Qatar 's energy minister inquired if Charles spoke any Arabic . `` I tried to learn it once but I gave up . It goes in one ear and out the other , '' he answered . Laura Sullivan , a spokeswoman at Clarence House , confirmed Thursday that Prince Charles has taken lessons . `` He definitely has been having Arabic lessons , '' she said . Sullivan was quick to point out the prince has mastered other languages . `` He definitely speaks Welsh as I 've heard him myself , '' Sullivan said . `` French is a definite , and he is very good at that . '' The Prince of Wales is on a tour of the Middle East with his wife , the Duchess of Cornwall . On Wednesday , they visited a camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan . In Qatar , the Duchess will attend workshops on literacy and women 's empowerment while Charles meets with the Crown Prince of Qatar and the country 's prime minister .
At a networking event , the prince complimented guests ' impeccable English . He said he was proud of their accent and that they were " very polite people who didn't talk much but listened carefully to what others had to say. " He said he was learning but it was not easy .