Xi gets royal invitation to visit UK during meeting Prince William

President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Britain's Prince William at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 2, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]

Xi and the prince, both avid soccer fans, also discussed greater sports exchanges between China and Britain.

Before the meeting at the Great Hall of the People, the prince visited a courtyard house in an old-style alley known as a hutong that has been turned into a museum by charities associated with his father, Prince Charles.

He chatted with representatives from charities working in China and received a hand-drawn picture from a Chinese child.

He also visited the Forbidden City on Monday.

Beijing is the first stop of his four-day visit to China and the prince will to travel to Shanghai and Yunnan province, where he will visit an elephant sanctuary and a nature reserve.