Charles holds talks with Dalai Lama

The Press Association

The Dalai Lama met the Prince of Wales to discuss spiritual matters.

Prince Charles welcoming His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Clarence House/Reuters

The exiled Tibetan leader held talks with Charles at his London home, Clarence House, and planted a tree at the royal residence to commemorate his visit.

The Prince is a long-time supporter and admirer of the Buddhist cleric and when the two men met they greeted each other warmly, clasping hands.

The Dalai Lama, who is on a high-profile visit to the UK, also took the hands of the Duchess of Cornwall and smiled broadly at her.

The heir to the throne turned to the Tibetan leader as they stood in the garden of Clarence House and asked him: "Will you plant a tree?"

The royal party walked a short distance to where a magnolia spectrum sapling was standing ready.

The Buddhist monk was dressed in his distinctive burgundy robes and picked up a spade which once belonged to Charles' grandfather, George VI, and began shovelling earth around the roots of the tiny tree.

The Dalai Lama has met the Prince in the UK on a number of occasions and on one visit planted a tree at Charles' Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire.

The two men then discussed other trees in the garden and the Prince told the Dalai Lama how his grandmother would sit under one of the large trees in the summer.

The prince and the spiritual leader then walked into Clarence House's garden room where they sat down with their aides for talks to begin. Clarence House would not disclose what was discussed by the Prince and the Dalai Lama only saying ahead of the meeting that they would "talk about their interest in spiritual matters".

The Dalai Lama takes the Prince of Wale's arm as they walk with the Duchess of Cornwall into Clarence House for 'spiritual talks'		His Holiness the Dalai Lama planted a tree with Prince Charles during his visit/Reuters