The UK's King Charles on Wednesday was thanked by an elderly Indigenous leader for his work in helping to protect the Amazon.

The monarch met Chief Raoni Metuktire as he hosted a reception at St. James' Palace in London.

The tribal leader from Brazil, believed to be in his 90s, spoke to the king through translators.

He thanked him highlighting the need to stop deforestation and protect the people, the flora and the fauna of the Amazon.

The king patted his guest on the shoulder in response and told him, “We’re doing our best.”

The chief of the Kayapo gained world fame for his efforts to save the ever shrinking world of his tribe in the Amazon.

Wearing the halo-like headdress of a chief and the prominent lip plug of a Kayapo warrior, he has rallied support from popes, presidents and pop stars and he continues to be a political thorn in the side of Brazil's politicians.

During the reception, the king also spent time talking to human rights activist Bianca Jagger.

The event celebrated the monarch's Circular Bioeconomy Alliance (CBA) which he launched in 2020 with the aim of getting scientists, local governments, businesses, and Indigenous communities to cooperate on climate projects.