The Prince and Princess of Wales "interrupted the silent retreat" of comedy legend Ruby Wax while touring Scotland, it has emerged. Prince William and Princess Kate visited the Isles of Mull and Iona this week and engaged with their communities.

They ended their two-day visit on Thursday when they made a private visit to the Isle of Iona, where they had an unexpected meeting with the comedy star. William and Kate chatted to and took pictures with the celebrity, who has a career as a mental health campaigner alongside her comedy.

Ms Wax said after their meeting: "I think it's funny because I'm on a retreat here and I thought 'why are they interrupting my silent retreat' - you know what I mean?"

But she suggested the meeting was worthwhile, "you could break the silent retreat for this".

The comedy legend was a friend of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and praised her son William: “I didn't realise (he) was so good-looking, he looks like his mother".

The couple spent more than two hours on Iona with Kate photographed in the gift shop and the couple seen walking past Iona Abbey and walking off the public ferry.

When they boarded the vessel for the short journey to Iona, the couple spoke about the "fantastic" time they had on the Isle of Mull, where they had spent much of their two-day visit and celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary.

Earlier, Kate was in her element when she spent time with an early-years outdoor playgroup learning about nature in the Ardura Community Forest on Mull.

The princess has made highlighting the development of children a central element of her public work and nature has played an important role while she was being treated for cancer.

With the youngsters aged up to five running around, she reportedly spoke of the value of them getting "outdoors as much as they can".

William told one father about the importance of communities: "That's what we've lost, the ability to come together and know your neighbour," and he went on to say: "You can get lost in the cities."