King had planned to meet EU chief

Talks are intensifying this weekend over securing a new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.

The BBC understands the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was due to meet the King on Saturday.

That visit has now been cancelled due to operational reasons unconnected to the political talks.

The tabled visit, originally reported by Sky News, was not part of the negotiations between the UK and the EU.

However, it was an opportunity for the two to meet face to face.

Some had suggested a deal on the Northern Ireland protocol - thought to be all but complete - could be called the Windsor Agreement and include a moment in front of the cameras involving the prime minister and Ms von der Leyen.

The prime minister and Ms von der Leyen spoke by telephone today.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has pulled out of a long planned trip to the Middle East at the beginning of next week - raising expectations a formal announcement from the UK and Brussels could be days away.

But there have been repeated delays over the last week or so, as wrangling went on between No 10, the Democratic Unionist Party and Conservative backbenchers.

Both the UK and the EU also have to coordinate diaries to make the choreography of an announcement work at a mutually convenient time and place.

Part of the Brexit deal, the protocol creates a trade border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

The protocol ensures free movement of trade across the Irish land border after Brexit, allowing goods to be transported across the Irish land border without the need for checks.