Royal-watchers caught a rare glimpse of the Prince of Wales and his long-term love Camilla Parker Bowles strolling together in a London park on Wednesday.

The couple were making their way from the prince's home, St James's Palace, to the Ritz hotel and took a shortcut through Green Park.

They are rarely seen in public together and were greeted by a bank of photographers and wellwishers.

The prince kept his hands stuffed firmly in his camel-hair overcoat while he made his way to the famous hotel for his staff's Christmas lunch.

One onlooker, Debbie Royston, 38, from Derby said: "Camilla looked very smart, although I was a bit surprised the Prince didn't hold her hand or something."

The Ritz was the venue for the pair's first public appearance as a couple.

They were attending a 50th birthday party for Mrs Parker Bowles's sister Annabel Elliott, in January 1999.