The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall attended a wet and windswept Royal Film Performance of The Lovely Bones based on the acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold.

Many stars of the movie wore overcoats and used umbrellas on the red carpet at the premiere in London's Leicester Square.

The movie already has an Oscar buzz around it and stars previous Academy Award winners Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon.

Sarandon covered up in a dark coat with glitzy sequinned shoulders for the event while the Duchess wore a teal blue velvet dress and matching evening cape.

Professional: Saoirse Ronan manages to look elegant despite the weather conditions

Gallery: The Lovely Bones premiere

The film, directed by Peter Jackson, centres on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family - and her killer - from heaven.

She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.

Jackson said of making the film: "We all wonder what it's like after we die, is there some life after death existence. It is I think one of those questions that everybody thinks about from time to time ... it's a challenging movie but I wanted to make it really positive.

He praised the film's young star, Saoirse Ronan, saying: "This is the beginning of a very long career for her."

Ronan, wearing a grey strappy chiffon dress despite the winter chill, said of making the film: "It was great to grow as an actress."

She said of the buzz around the film: "I think there is a little bit of pressure but I'm trying not to think about it."

Another star of the film, Carolyn Dando, confessed she was nervous at the idea of meeting royalty.

She said: "I'm picturing tripping over when I try to do my curtsy."

Music for the film was composed by Brian Eno and the event was also attended by Stephen Fry, Little Boots, Meera Syal and Sanjeev Bhaskar.

Charles and Camilla waved from the red carpet before going into the cinema to chat to the stars.

The Royal Film Performance is the major fund raising event of the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund (CTBF). Cash raised from the event will go directly to the charity which supports film and TV employees and their families in times of hardship.

Weisz, who has been filming abroad, did not attend the event.

Gallery: The Lovely Bones premiere