President Michael D Higgins and his wife and Sabina arrived in the Irish Embassy at Grosvenor Place in central London shortly after 10am.

They were accompanied by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore and his wife Carol Hanney.

They were greeted by Ambassador Daniel Mulhall and his wife Greta and shook hands with the assembled Embassy staff before being escorted upstairs to the Ambassador's office on the first floor.

Sabina Higgins was wearing a pink ensemble, with coat in silk tweed and matching dress by Louise Kennedy and hat by Philip Treacy.

The British delegation arrived at 10.30am and at 10.45am formed a receiving line in the lobby.

At 10.55am, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall arrived at the Embassy. They proceeded to the Ambassador’s office where they were introduced to the President and Sabina Higgins and to the Tánaiste and Ms Hanney.

There were handshakes all round and a few minutes of friendly conversation, before the President and his wife were escorted the royal couple downstairs to the lobby at where the Prince and the Duchess introduced the British delegation.

The members of the British delegation were: The Viscount Hood, Lord-in-waiting on behalf of the Queen, The Hon Mary Morrison, Lady-in-waiting, Mr Dominick Chilcott, British Ambassador to Ireland, Mrs Jane Chilcott, Commander Andrew Canale RN, Equerry-in-waiting and Captain Oliver Morley, Assistant Equerry.

The Prince and the Duchess along with the President and Sabina then departed in a motorcade for Windsor Castle.

There was a small protest across the street by seven pro-choice campaigners who chanted slogans in favour of legalised abortion in Ireland.

This was organised by an group called Speaking of IMELDA, an acronym for ‘Ireland Making England the Legal Destination for Abortion’.