Sir Keir Starmer was all smiles as he told a joke to the King at a state dinner on Monday after the government's International Investment Summit.
The Prime Minister was photographed flirting with stars, including Andrew Lloyd Webber and Elton John's Ladies – he performed at the party.
The photos show the king laughing as he chats with Sir Keir before meeting and shaking hands with international business leaders at a reception held at St. Stephen's Cathedral. Paul.
The ruling came after Charles was given a lukewarm reception by Australia's six state premiers, who declined an invitation to a welcome reception for the king and queen ahead of their week-long tour of the country.
The king, who has visited Australia 16 times, outlined his cancer treatment was put on hold to allow the six-day trip to go ahead and he and the queen will take part in a series of events aimed at strengthening inter-community relations.
The visit includes a reception in Canberra later in the week, but six state premiers – New South Wales, Victoria Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania – have said they cannot attend.
King Charles appeared to exchange a joke with the Prime Minister as the two were photographed at an event today
King Charles appeared to be in high spirits as he arrived at a reception at St. Peter's Cathedral this evening. Paweł – in the photo he is talking to international business leaders
King Charles imagined talking to guests at a reception for international business leaders at St. Peter's Cathedral. Paul
The 75-year-old monarch smiled as he shook hands with distinguished guests at the event, which took place after the government's International Investment Summit
Bev McArthur of the Australian Monarchist League described the Prime Minister's actions as offensive and said: “They should just take off their Republican hats, take a short trip to Canberra, say hello and thank you for coming to Australia.”
Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan said last week she was unable to attend because she had a cabinet meeting. Her deputy, Ben Carroll, also declined the invitation, meaning the state will be represented by Ms Allan's parliamentary secretary Nick Staikos.
Queensland Premier Steven Miles said he could not attend because he was currently working on his campaign choices, while Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said he was on a trade mission to the US.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns also said they were attending the cabinet meeting. And spokesman for Western Australia, Prime Minister Roger Cook said he had “other commitments”.
Bev McArthur told the BBC: “The absence of state premiers from the reception in Canberra is completely indefensible” and accused them of “gesture-driven politics”.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla pose for an official portrait from their visit to Australia. Charles, 75, was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer earlier this year following prostate surgery, but has asked for treatment to be put on hold so he can head Down Under this week
Neither Victorian First Minister Jacinta Allan (pictured left) nor her deputy Ben Carroll (right) will attend the King's welcome in Canberra
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns (left) said he was unable to attend the welcome in Canberra because of the government meeting. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas (right) also attends the regional cabinet meeting
Tasmanian Prime Minister Jeremy Rockliff (left) is on a trade mission to the USA. Western Australian Premier Roger Cook (R) has only said he has “other commitments”
She told the newspaper she was unconvinced by the regional heads of government's excuses, which include cabinet meetings and other commitments, and told the BBC they were “petty” and “inhospitable”.
Buckingham Palace has not commented on this poem.
Meanwhile, Mr Keir kicked off a glitzy UK investment summit today, telling businesses it was a “great time to invest in the UK”.
The Prime Minister struck an optimistic tone as he addressed hundreds of senior figures at the Guildhall in London, hoping to raise tens of billions of pounds for the economy.
He insisted that the government would be “stable” after this decision. Brexit would be a “circus” and would “bust the bureaucracy” and “do everything I can to stimulate growth”.
But he also had a sharp message about the need for a “tough” approach to public finances – in the face of fears of a looming “tax bomb” in the budget.
Businesses have warned that increases to their National Insurance and capital gains taxes will be a “tax on jobs”.
There are also concerns that layering employer pension contributions on top of pension contributions – which could raise up to £17 billion a year for the exchequer – would hit pension funds and make investment more difficult.
Keir Starmer kicked off a glitzy UK investment summit today, telling businesses it was a “great time to invest in the UK”.
On Monday evening, the king addressed guests during dinner at St. Peter's Cathedral. Paul
The king was all smiles as he spoke to international business leaders at today's meeting. The photo shows an interview with Andrew Lloyd Webber
When captured at the event, Charles and Sir Keir appeared to be in deep conversation
Sir Keir also received a stern message from former Google boss Eric Schmidt during an on-stage interview. The tech guru said there are too many people in the UK who say “no” and “delay is killing you”.
In his keynote speech at the Guildhall, he said: “We have our problems, of course we have them, as I said, our public services require urgent attention, our public finances require a tough love of caution – challenges we cannot ignore.
“Because we know, as every leader here knows, that these early weeks and months are precious and no matter how many people advise you to ignore it, that you must run towards the fire to put it out, not let it spread further.'
He said it is a “mission-driven mindset that recognizes the years, not days or hours, of a news network needed to unlock its potential.”
Sir Keir hosts leading investors and CEOs at the inaugural International Investment Summit, where ministers hope to unveil deals worth billions of dollars artificial intelligencelife sciences and infrastructure.
The Prime Minister has come under fire for abandoning attempts to reduce administrative burdens on businesses, while also promising to cut red tape.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said plans announced in March to simplify business reporting were “not currently on track”.
They would raise the threshold for medium-sized enterprises from 250 to 500 employees, sparing many small business leaders from having to submit detailed financial reports and also freeing them from having to write “strategic reports” summarizing the previous year.
Shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake said: “Keir Starmer's lack of understanding and inconsistency is quite appalling, he says one thing and does the opposite.
“With a wave of bureaucracy looming, Starmer's claims about a bonfire of business regulation would be laughable if they weren't so serious.
“Because of Labour's flawed anti-business, pro-union approach, investment will fall, productivity will suffer and jobs will be lost. This has to change.
