King Charles could be heard joking with the Nigerian president this morning just hours after Piers Morgan named the two people at the centre of the royal racism row.

The King, 75, was in a jovial mood as he began a 48-hour trip to Dubai to give the opening address at the COP28 environmental summit.

This morning he had a 30-minute meeting with Nigerian president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with whom he joked about his recent birthday.

They shook hands warmly and President Tinubu asked: “How are you?”

The King, wearing a suit, took his seat and said: “I’m all right very much, just about.

“Having had a rather ancient birthday recently recovering from the shock of that.”

The pair met at a hotel in Dubai before the conference to discuss energy, environment, the Commonwealth and global security. It was the first of a series of meetings with world leaders during the trip.

Charles also opened the Dubai campus of Heriot-Watt University and met well-wishers outside.

The King then welcomed new foreign secretary David Cameron to Dubai where the pair held an engagement to see examples of clean technology and innovations to fight climate change at the university campus.

Lord Cameron said: “I would not have missed it for the world”.

The King’s appearance follows the publication of a new biography about the Royal Family, of which the Dutch edition names two members of the Firm who were alleged to be taking part in conversations about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s baby’s skin colour.