The Prince of Wales met leading figures from the Commonwealth’s young leadership and diplomatic community – but the Duchess of Cornwall missed the event.

Camilla has recently recovered from a bout of Covid, and it is understood she is pacing herself after her illness.

Last week, the duchess revealed she has been left with a slight cough in the aftermath of the virus.

When she met a group of record-breaking charity rowers at Clarence House last week, she told them: “Well, it’s taken me three weeks and I still can’t get shot of it.

“Probably my voice might suddenly go coughing and spluttering.”

Charles met the High Commissioners, staff from the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth’s civil service, and young leaders from across the globe at Marlborough House in central London.

Among the group were performers from the Commonwealth Day service held earlier at Westminster Abbey including Mica Paris and Emeli Sande.

Paris said when she met Charles and Camilla after the service, the couple both said they liked the song she performed called Mama Said.

The performer said about the prince: “I’ve done lots of private performances for him over the years.

“He’s a big Aretha Franklin fan, so I always used to have to sing Aretha for him.”

She joked: “Today was really good because it was the first time they liked my songs, it’s not that they don’t like my old songs but he didn’t ask me to sing Aretha.”