Prince Charles admitted it was "difficult" to know what to offer the Pope as a gift as the pair met for the first time in Vatican City.

The pontiff received Charles and Camilla for a papal audience in a hall close to his residence and following a private meeting the prince presented Pope Francis with a hamper of produce from his Highgrove estate.

Charles said: "It's difficult to know what to give your holiness", adding: "Somebody else might like it."

Image: The private meeting lasted half an hour

As an aide lifted the lid of the wicker basket, the prince said: "They're all homemade things I produce."

Camilla added: "It's all very good".


It is the second time the pontiff has received a hamper of food from the British monarchy - in 2014 he was given a wicker box of produce that included honey from Buckingham Palace during a meeting with the Queen.

In return, Pope Francis gave Charles a bronze olive branch as a "symbol of peace", as well as copies of his writings on climate change bound in red leather.

Image: Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visit the Vatican Apostolic Library

Through an interpreter he said: "These are works of mine".

:: Royals 'our best ambassadors', says minister

In response, Charles said "you are very generous", adding the gifts were "a great treat".

During the traditional exchange of gifts, Pope Francis told the heir to the throne: "Wherever you go, may you be a man of peace".

Image: Charles said he would 'do my best' to 'be a man of peace'

Charles replied: "I'll do my best".

The papal audience came near the end of Charles and Camilla's nine-day European tour, during which the prince visited an Italian town hit by a devastating quake last summer.

The visit to Amatrice came a day after the Prince paid homage to the victims of World War One in Vicenza, while Camilla toured the area near Naples.