HE is the heir to an unusual throne and has given an insight into life inside his own tiny kingdom.

James Bates, 28, is a fisherman, but also next in line to become head of state of Sealand.

Sealand is a tiny territory taking up just a 168 by 188ft space in the North Sea.

Based about six nautical miles off the coast of Walton, the “kingdom” was founded by James’s grandfather, Roy Bates, in 1967.

Originally, a Royal Navy fortress, built in 1942, to protect the port of Harwich from the Germans, it is now James’s home from home with his dad, Prince Michael, its current head of state.

He said: “I spend about five weeks a year there and stay overnight all the time. It’s just incredibly quiet when you’re there – you feel really isolated because everything’s so far away.

“The weather can be horrendous, though – we were there last September and the waves were smashing into the underside of the platform, so everything was shaking.

“I went out there once when I was ten and a boat was meant to come and pick us up, but the weather blew up and we were there for three weeks.”

He added: “We’ve fitted a new kitchen recently, though, and there’s everything you’d expect at home – a living room, bathroom and bedrooms.

“On a clear day, you can see the shore and all the twinkling lights from the mainland, but it’s ridiculous how many stars you can see at night – you can even see all the craters on the Moon because there’s no light pollution out there.

“Growing up my friends found it weird and when I was at boarding school I took some friends out there for a party, which they found fascinating.”

For the most part James’s life is essentially like any other. He is married and first child Freddy Bates entered the world six months ago.

Freddy will one day be Prince of Sealand, and James added: “It’s a massive part of our lives.

"Houses have been remortgaged and jewellery sold over the years, but it’s finally got to a point where it’s paying for itself.

“Someone asked my dad recently why he does it and he couldn’t really say why – it’s just who we are.”