The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have had a lot of banter during their royal visit to Nepal, with the couple reflecting on moments together during an interview with the press.

When asked what it was like to plant a tree alongside those planted by the late Queen and Prince Philip at Nepal’s Godawari Botanical Gardens, Duchess Sophie revealed that the couple revels in friendly competition.

“The first thing we always check is that the trees are doing really well,” she said. “It’s a bit of a competition between the two of us when we plant a tree, whose then does better over the years.”

Edward turned to his wife and said “Yes, I wonder why you mentioned that” after they were asked who was winning.

The Prince also jokingly got annoyed when she started repositioning the plant before he started shovelling the soil – showcasing their lighthearted nature.

Reflecting on the moment, Edward said: “There was a lot of banter going on.”

As they reflected on their first trip to Nepal, the couple said they had enjoyed learning about the depth of the relationship between the two countries and reinforcing the friendship that dates back over 200 years.

The Duchess revealed that the Attestation Parade on Friday was a particularly emotional moment, as she stood just a few feet away from the new Gurhka recruits as they swore their allegiance to the King and formally joined the British Army.

“It was very real and very tangible”, she said. “I found it quite an emotional day.”

Edward said that an important part of their visits to countries such as Nepal is to showcase the work of organisations that don’t get the full recognition they deserve.

He said: “If we can just shine a bit of a light on the work that they’re doing and it helps them to be able to tell the story better and to give them a better profile, then that’s what you really hope for.”

The duchess reflected on her visit to Maiti Nepal, a non-profit organisation that provides shelter, reintegration and rescue services to women and girls who have been trafficked.

On their last day of their visit to Nepal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were given a colourful send-off.

Sophie and Edward walked to the Gurung community centre and museum in the hillside village, which has historic Gurkha links and is popular trekking spot due to its position on a hillside with stunning views of the surrounding Himalayan peaks.

Brightly coloured garlands were draped over the couple’s necks as they walked past members of the village.

The end of the ceremony was marked by a dance by locals, performed to a famous song dating back generations. Villagers lined up along the road to wave them off, as they headed back to Pokhara before flying back to the UK.