The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were festooned with garlands when they visited a Gurkha battalion based in Brunei.

Charles and Camilla were welcomed by the renowned Nepalese servicemen with the traditional greeting as they made a brief trip to the Commonwealth country during their south-east Asia tour.

And when the heir to the throne, Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Gurkha Rifles for 40 years, had a chance to chat to members of the famous fighting force at a reception, his questions had a parental tone.

"Are you able to find the things you need?" he asked one group, then made them laugh when said "can you get enough goat?" as the servicemen are known to use the meat to make curries.

The Royal Gurkha Rifles have a jungle role battalion permanently based in Brunei. The soldiers, drawn from Nepal, are famed for their bravery and fierce fighting skills, typified by the kukri knives they wield in battle.