Queen Camilla appeared in great spirits as she visited a primary school’s Literary Festival on Wednesday.
Camilla, 76, looked summer ready in a blue and white floral dress as she arrived at Christ Church C of E Primary School in Purley.
The Queen was met by Year 4 pupils Marina, nine, and Lexi, eight, who had been practising their curtsies.
Camilla visited a Reception class and heard about the Shepherd and Sheep reading initiative, which allocates new pupils in Reception to a Year 6 pupil, who acts as a friend and role-model throughout the new pupils first year at school.
The royal paired her chic ensemble with beige heels and accessorised with a gold necklace and a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet.
Queen Camilla appeared in great spirits as she visited a primary school’s Literary Festival on Wednesday
Camilla got a tour around the school and she chatted to pupils as they coloured pictures and read books.
The Queen was shown a mosaic of King Charles which was made to mark the Coronation and she said ‘oh my goodness, that’s my husband!’
During her wholesome visit she met pupils called Charles and Kamilla and was also asked if she was ‘the Queen’, to which she cheerfully confirming: ‘That’s me!’
Camilla has always been passionate about the benefits of reading and even set up a charity called Queen’s Reading Room.
Earlier this month she attended the opening reception of Queen’s Reading Room Literary Festival at Hampton Court Palace in East Molesey Surrey, London.
The Queen’s Reading Room, which was launched in 2021, is a charity led by Camilla, which aims to celebrate and promote the power and benefits of reading.
Vicki Perrin, CEO of Her Majesty’s The Queen’s Reading Room literacy charity has shed light on what the festival means to the Queen, while fondly referring to it as her ‘baby’.
Speaking to the Mail, she said: ‘Her Majesty has been really involved, she is such an extraordinary supporter of the arts and she understands the value of literary festivals and how precious they are in the UK.
Queen Camilla was met by Year 4 pupils Marina, nine, and Lexi, eight, who had been practising their curtsies
The royal got a hero’s welcome at Christ Church C of E Primary School in Purley
Pupils showed the Queen a stunning victoria sponge cake which the made for her arrival
Camilla appeared in great spirits as she donned a bright and breezy summer dress for the visit
Camilla visited a Reception class and heard about the Shepherd and Sheep reading initiative, which allocates new pupils in Reception to a Year 6 pupil, who acts as a friend and role-model throughout the new pupils first year at school
Camilla shook hands with Marina, aged nine, as she arrived at Christ Church C of E Primary School’s Literary Festival
Camilla got a tour around the school and she chatted to pupils as they coloured pictures and read books
Camilla spoke to pupils as she visited a Reception class and heard about the Shepherd and Sheep reading initiative
‘She and I have been working on this for a year to shape it into the best event it can possibly be. We have bounced ideas around, who should appear, who should talk to whom, which actors can get involved, what authors we should cover.
‘It’s very much her baby. She’s always asking me ‘how many tickets are we at now?’ – and looks like we will fill 10,000 seats on Saturday, which is amazing.
‘She cares so much about getting it right and making it accessible and open to as many people as possible’.
It comes after Camilla and King Charles held a lavish state banquet for the Emperor and Empress of Japan at Buckingham Palace last night.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, who arrived in the UK on Saturday, enjoyed dinner with the King and Queen in Buckingham Palace’s Ballroom.
Since 1914, these special events have traditionally been held in this particular room, which is the largest of the State Rooms.
Queen Camilla was seen wearing the white Anna Valentine dress and silver diamond brooch she wore for appearances earlier today ,as she was caught on camera looking at the table settings.
The King looked in high spirits as he was filmed laughing and smiling with employees ahead of the special occasion. Both he and the emperor will give speeches at the banquet.
Camilla viewed a ceramic tiled mural celebrating the coronation of King Charles III in the school’s garden during her visit
Camilla attended a short assembly to hear two pupils speak about their favourite books during her visit
Camilla beamed as students presented her with a bouquet of flowers which they had hand picked
The royal paired her chic ensemble with beige heels and accessorised with a gold necklace and a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet
Camilla, 76, looked summer ready in a blue and white floral dress as she arrived at Christ Church C of E Primary School
The royal beamed as she chatted to the adorable students about their reading initiative
Camilla visited the Reception class and heard about the Shepherd and Sheep reading initiative
Mr Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer were both listed among the guests for the state banquet, which takes place just over a week before the General Election.
A Japanese Foreign Ministry official said the emperor and empress’s visit would not be a political one and it was hoped it would forge ‘friendly relations across generations’ between Japan’s imperial family and the British royal family.
Missing from the event will be Princess Anne, who is currently recuperating after suffering minor injuries to her head and a concussion when she was reportedly kicked by a horse on her Gatcombe Park estate.
The Princess Royal, a skilled horsewoman who competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, was walking on her Gloucestershire estate on Sunday evening when the incident happened.
After being given medical care at the scene, she was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol by road for tests, treatment and observation.
The 73-year-old will miss several engagements this week, including an overseas tour to Canada which was due to start this weekend.