Donald Trump's forthcoming State visit to Britain was hit by a diplomatic row last night after it emerged he wants to avoid Prince Charles because of their dispute over global warming.

The President is understood to have made it clear he does not want talks with the Prince at Clarence House, a regular feature of such visits. Trump is said to fear a meeting will encourage environmentalists to stage protests against him.

Reports of Trump's threatened boycott of the Prince come a week after the publication of a new book by the heir to the throne warning of the threat posed by climate change.