London, Dec 2: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice played a private piano recital at Buckingham Palace, attended by the Queen.

During a visit to London, the top American stateswoman was accompanied in her performance of Brahms by Foreign Secretary David Miliband''s wife, Louise, and three members of the London Symphony Orchestra, reports the Telegraph.

The outgoing politician– who is a concert level pianist – was allowed to use a music room at the palace after she expressed a wish to play.

The Queen obliged and listened to part of the performance.

Afterward, Her Majesty presented Rice, who started playing the piano as a child and planned a career in music, with an audio recording of the recital as a gift.

Rice was visiting London before heading for Brussels to attend a meeting of Nato leaders. Earlier in the day, she met Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Miliband. (ANI)