Prince Charles is leading global celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens's birth today.

The Prince of Wales laid a wreath at the author's grave in Poets' Corner, ahead of a special service at Westminster Abbey.

Celebrations in Portsmouth kicked off with a ceremony outside the writer's birthplace. Dickens' parents moved to Portsmouth when his father was transferred there by the Navy.

A 24-hour "readathon" is taking place in countries from Albania to Zimbabwe to mark the celebrations. London's BFI Southbank is hosting the UK leg of the event, which began in Australia with a reading of Dombey and Son.

Said Susie Nicklin, director of literature at event organisers the British Council, "We are responding to the huge global demand from audiences in 66 countries with whom Dickens has struck a chord as his themes and characters seem as fresh to them today as they did to British readers in the Victorian era."