The Queen greets Sharon Osbourne at Buckingham Palace

They included TV's Sharon Osbourne, Ann Summers boss Jacqueline Gold, and Birmingham City FC chief Karren Brady.

It was a 'women only' line-up for the royals too, with the Duchess of Cornwall, Countess of Wessex and Duchess of Gloucester attending.

The event came two years after the Queen held a women of achievement reception at the palace.

Model debate

Businesswoman Sarah Doukas, who founded Storm Model Management, and leading designer Cath Kidston were also at the get-together.

Sharon Osbourne, who runs an international music company, spoke to the Queen about her corgis, and discussed with the Duchess of Cornwall a forthcoming hospital appointment for a hysterectomy.

The Duchess of Cornwall chats with Karren Brady and Jacqueline Gold

The Queen asked Sarah Doukas about the ongoing debate over "size zero" models.

The model agency boss also said Kate Moss, one of her clients, was "absolutely fine".

June Kenton, director of royal warrant-holding company Rigby & Peller, which supplies the Queen's lingerie, was one of the guests.

She maintained her discretion in her dealings with the monarch, saying: "I will never, ever discuss it. I don't even bring the Queen up in my conversation ever. I feel being at Rigby & Peller, it's like being a doctor."

Cath Kidston, who was wearing one of her own floral dresses, chatted about the luxury of mail order catalogues and the difficulty of manufacturing items in the UK.

She said: "It's a real privilege to be here. I still think if I'm asked to something like this that I'm going to get found out one day.

"I didn't have official training. I didn't go to university. I'm self taught and have been very lucky."

'Privileged'

Karren Brady, managing director at Birmingham City, said the Duchess of Cornwall was interested in football and asked how she got involved in the sport.

Heather Rabbatts, a non-executive director for the Bank of England and deputy chairman of Millwall Football Club, said: "It's fantastic to come here and a great privilege. It's good to have women in football, and football itself, recognised."