Obama congratulates Prince Charles

Washington - US President Barack Obama has congratulated Prince Charles on the British royal wedding, sending "best wishes" to his son Prince William and Kate Middleton, the White House said on Wednesday.

Charles, on a three-day visit to Washington, held Oval Office talks with Obama at the White House earlier. He also addressed a conference debating the future of food, where he warned that unsustainable farming methods are overtaxing nature and pushing the global food system into crisis.

During the White House meeting, Obama affirmed "the strength and depth of the alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom" and thanked Charles for British troops' "important contributions" to the wars in Afghanistan and Libya, the White House said in a statement.

The president also "congratulated the prince on the wedding of his son, Prince William, to Catherine Middleton and extended his best wishes to the newlywed couple," it added.

Invitation

"President Obama warmly welcomed the Prince's work over three decades on environmental issues, halting deforestation and encouraging sustainable food production."

The White House said Obama "looks forward" to his state visit to Britain later this month, which came at the invitation of the queen.

The Prince of Wales kicked off his official visit to the United States Tuesday - just days after the pomp and ceremony of the royal wedding - with a visit to an urban farm in a gritty, deprived Washington neighbourhood.

He also visited the US Supreme Court and met US service members who were wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.