Prince Charles hailed singer Rihanna as a “global style icon” but admitted he finds it tough keeping up with the latest pop stars and has to rely on Prince Harry to keep him informed.

Charles said Barbados born Rihanna was one of a number of hugely influential women from the island – including the Governor General and Prime Minster.

The 70–year-old, in Barbados for a tour of the Commonwealth Caribbean with wife Camilla – said, “Barbados… offers an inspirational example through the remarkable number of women in positions of national leadership: not only the Governor-General and the Prime Minister, but also the Leader of the other main political party, as well as the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“And then, of course, there is arguably the most famous living Bajan of all: from her childhood in Bridgetown, Rihanna, has gone on to be one of the most influential recording artists of her generation and a global style icon – or so my son, Harry, tells me, anyway!”

Then, in front of cricket legend Sir Garfield Sobers and current Windies star Jason Holder, Charles joked about England’s Test cricket team who were comprehensively beaten.

The Prince joked, “Bajan hospitality is world famous, of course, which is one reason why an astonishing one million international visitors arrive on these shores each year… and I can only hope that most of them enjoy themselves rather more than the England Cricket team did in January!”

He said, “The influence and leadership of Barbados is felt particularly keenly in the Commonwealth, which binds together 2.4 billion of us, across fifty-three countries on six continents, united by our shared experience and shared values.

“As we celebrate the Commonwealth’s seventieth birthday this year, it seems to me that our Commonwealth family remains as vital today as it has ever been – bringing us together to address urgent global challenges, such as climate change, and rapid urbanization and youth unemployment, with sixty percent of the population of the Commonwealth being under thirty years old.”

Charles added: “For our part, being back in Barbados we have been reminded of just how beautiful your Island is, and even more strikingly, of the strength and vibrancy of your society.

He also stressed the need for the commonwealth to lead the debate on climate change.