Charles, Camilla leave for Pakistan

A spokeswoman for Charles's household, Clarence House, confirmed that the couple had flown out of Britain on Sunday but said she could not give any more details for security reasons.

The couple are due to arrive in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, in the evening local time.

A Pakistani official has said that the issue of clemency for Mirza Tahir Hussain, who has spent half his life in Pakistani jails for the 1988 murder of a taxi-driver, is "likely" to come up during the five-day visit, during which Charles will meet President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

Hussain had been scheduled to be hanged during Charles and Camilla's trip, but the execution was delayed until December 31 after the heir to the British throne wrote to Aziz about the case.