Adele has declared her visit to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE from the Prince of Wales a "very posh" affair.

And to mark her trip, the performer, whose albums have taken the world by storm, accessorised her fingernails - with tiny crowns.

Her immaculate nails were painted royal blue and the nails on the ring fingers of both hands featured tiny silver-coloured crowns decorated with red stones.

In a statement issued after the ceremony, the singer said: "It was an honour to be recognised and a very proud moment to be awarded alongside such wonderful and inspirational people. Very posh indeed."

Adele has become a worldwide phenomenon, with her debut album 19 and the follow-up 21 selling millions of copies both at home and abroad.

Her chart-topping releases made the 25-year-old singer the natural choice to sing the theme to the James Bond movie Skyfall - the song that landed her an Oscar earlier this year.

In the past, the Tottenham-born singer has said her second album 21 was inspired by a "rubbish relationship", but she has gone on to find love with partner Simon Konecki, the father of her son Angelo.

Earlier this year she unveiled a tattoo of the letter A behind her ear, thought to be in honour of her child, who was born in October last year.

After the ceremony Adele was in good spirits and joked as she happily posed for pictures to mark the occasion, as her partner looked on.

She wore a Stella McCartney dress and a Philip Treacy fascinator with a veil.