Camilla and Cherie meet with a kiss

They have both come in for their share of criticism. They are both married to men in the public eye who have perhaps come in for even more criticism.

So are Camilla and Cherie new best friends?

The pair were both guests at the annual Asian Women of Achievement Awards at the Hilton, and greeted each other warmly with a kiss at the reception beforehand.

After chatting for several minutes, Mrs Blair revealed she gets on very well with the Duchess of Cornwall - and said she had some " sympathies in common" with her. "I hope we will continue to be friends," she said. "I only met her for the first time at her wedding. We have some sympathies in common, that's for sure."

No doubt Mrs Blair was relieved that for once the focus of the evening was not on her choice of wardrobe but on what the duchess was wearing.

Mrs Blair has supported the event since it began six years ago, and while she has been applauded for entering into the spirit of the occasion by wearing tailor-made saris - last night she was in a jewelled lilac shalwar kameez by designer Babs Mayhill - some have criticised her decision to go Asian. Last night, however, it was the duchess's turn. One commentator said that most ag reed her turquoise silk suit with a chiffon shawl was "an appropriately discreet nod towards the spirit of the evening", others were disappointed that she had not followed Mrs Blair's example.

The director of human rights organisation Liberty, Shami Chakrabati, won the Asian Women of Achievement Award for her campaigning against repressive anti-terrorist measures following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Winners of the arts and culture award were Sudha Bhuchar and Kristine Landon-Smith, whose Tamasha Theat re Company has launched numerous Asian actors and popular productions including East Is East.