Royal women outing for JK Rowling

Harry Potter author JK Rowling is one of the UK's top earners

Harry Potter author JK Rowling will be among a group attending Buckingham Palace's first all-female gathering celebrating working women and mothers.

The writer will join Cherie Blair and opera singer Lesley Garrett at the party hosted by The Queen on 11 March.

The Palace has invited 200 women, drawn from the arts and business world, to recognise their achievements.

Other guests will include sixties icon Twiggy, Heather Mills McCartney and Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman.

Theme days

The Queen will be accompanied by the Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Gloucester.

"It will be the first all female event at the Palace. It's one of the theme days that we're having," a Palace spokeswoman said.

"It's going to be about women and their achievements."

"It's not just well known people, there will be lots of business women, women from arts and education and grass roots people."

Last year JK Rowling, who is currently writing the sixth Harry Potter book, became the world's best paid author.

The 39-year-old writer has sold over 250m book worldwide and is among the UK's top earners.

The third Potter film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, is due to be released in cinemas across the UK on 4 June.