Key's meeting with Queen 'a great mark of respect' for NZ

John Key says his audience with the Queen today is a mark of respect for what the people of Canterbury and the West Coast have gone through.

In what has a very busy week for the royal family, the Prime Minister has been granted an audience with Her Majesty at Windsor Castle today.

Mr Key says it comes on the back of two previously scheduled trips which were cancelled because of the Canterbury earthquakes.

"In that regard, the Queen has made some time to see me and I think it's a wonderful thing but it is, as I say, a great mark of respect for the people of New Zealand," he says.

Mr Key says he's also the only Prime Minister to have been invited for dinner this week with his British counterpart, David Cameron.

- Newstalk ZB