The guests included foreign royalty, showbiz stars and politicians.

Comedians Stephen Fry and Rory Bremner were the first of more than 250 famous faces to arrive at the prince's Highgrove country home in Gloucestershire late in the afternoon.

Star guest: Comedian Stephen Fry

Prince William, Mrs Parker Bowles and Prince Edward's girlfriend Sophie Rees-Jones arrived earlier in separate cars.

Also on the guest list were Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, and King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain.

They were joined by comedian Rowan Atkinson, Trade Secretary Peter Mandelson and the MP Nicholas Soames, a longtime supporter of the Prince.

BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond reports on the glittering party

The Queen did not attend the Highgrove party. To do so would be seen to publicly sanction her son's affair with Mrs Parker Bowles - the woman blamed by Diana, Princess of Wales, for breaking up the royal marriage.

However, the ex-husband of Mrs Parker Bowles, Andrew Parker Bowles and their two children, Tom and Laura were among the partygoers.

The BBC's Catherine Marston: It was a private celebration

The police put bollards out in a mile radius around Highgrove and increased patrols in the local town of Tetbury as part of the event's tight security.

Guesthouses and hotels in the market town were fully booked as celebrities descended on the prince's home for the occasion.

Charles organised a similar party at Highgrove for Mrs Parker Bowles last year.

Thanks mummy: Charles raises his glass to the Queen at a party on Friday

The party coincided with a new survey that suggests that the British public is divided over whether or not the prince should marry Mrs Parker Bowles.

While 60% said she has had a positive influence on him, only 40% said he should marry her. Another 46% said he should not.

And 72% said if he did marry her, Mrs Parker Bowles should not have any official position.

Charles enjoyed a pre-birthday party on Friday night at Buckingham Palace, hosted by the Queen.

She toasted her son's "vision, compassion and leadership".