SAN FRANCISCO -- Prince Charles and his new wife Camilla wrapped up their visit to the United States by touring a homeless shelter Tuesday.

The trip was a fitting end to the West Coast swing of their U.S. journey, which has had a back-to-basics theme of organic farming and environmental stewardship.

The royals began their tour of the Empress Hotel near downtown San Francisco by meeting Mayor Gavin Newsom and former supervisor Angela Alioto, who worked on the city's 10-year plan to combat homelessness. Also present was Philip Mangano, appointed by President Bush to head the U.S. Interagency Council on Homeless.

Charles and Camilla visited the rooms of two residents of the hotel, which is part of the city's Direct Access to Housing Program, and later had a round-table discussion with Newsom, and city and hotel staff.

"He's a very charming person," said Rene McIntyre, 48, a former music teacher who was one of the people visited by the royal couple. "I think he understood and he put me at ease. I think he really wanted to hear the personal side of the homeless issue."

Residents got a laugh when Charles, visiting John Panzer, 42, praised the job Newsom was doing and looked up to see the mayor standing in the doorway. "Oh, here you are," said the prince. Newsom responded by whipping out a credit card in mock payment for the compliment.

Residents and city officials were impressed with Charles' grasp of and interest in the problems of homelessness.

And Alioto saw the visit as a milestone, of sorts.

"If you had told anyone two years ago that Gavin Newsom and Angela Alioto and the Prince of Wales would be standing in a successful, supportive housing program in San Francisco, no one in a million years would have believed you," Alioto said after the visit. "That's what you call a city working together for serious results in a human crisis situation."