EXCITED youngsters were overjoyed when Her Royal Highness came to visit them for an unforgettable storytime session.

Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles arrived in Swindon for a double-bill of literary events as part of her work as a patron of the National Literacy Trust.

After signalling problems at London’s Paddington station caused a slight delay, she arrived at North Swindon Library at lunchtime to greet hundreds of happy schoolchildren who cheered and applauded.

She listened intently to Olivia Williams telling an interactive story about nature with enthusiastic call-and-response sections from the young audience, then presented a prize to the winner of the literacy trust’s Lost Words poetry competition.

As Molly Roberts read her winning poem, children’s author and illustrator Steve Antony, who is also a patron of Swindon Libraries’ Children’s Reading Services, scribbled an impressive illustration within the time it took to finish the reading.

He then repeated the feat when the duchess read Come Into the Woods, one of her favourite poems by Wiltshire poet Alfred Williams, and presented his efforts to Her Royal Highness.

Steve said: “It was a complete honour, but also quite nerve-wracking, especially when my pen started running out towards the end of the duchess’ reading!

“It was quite a special moment to be part of an event which is the culmination of a project we’ve all been involved with and an event which highlights the library service. The kids really enjoyed it, you can tell, and it was great to have the duchess here in the library, it’s really exciting.”

Before she left, the duchess unveiled a spectacular cake, which recreated a woodland scene from the Lost Words book, and invited a nine-year-old boy to cut the first slice.

This event marked the first anniversary of the National Literacy Trust’s Swindon Literacy Hub.

Swindon and Wiltshire’s finest turned out to meet the duchess, including Mayor Junab Ali, Swindon borough councillor and council leader David Renard, North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson, Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Keir Pritchard, James Arkell of Arkell’s Brewery, and High Sheriff of Wiltshire Nicky Alberry.

There was more fun to come as Camilla visited the borough council’s Lyndhurst Centre to meet foster carers and the family support team, and play with a bunch of energetic foster children who looked like they loved every minute of her visit.

The duchess watched the support team sing a soothing song to the youngsters before posing for a group photo. As a goodbye gift, she presented the children with a massive hamper full of tasty Highgrove goodies that they eagerly opened up.

One of the Swindon Literacy Hub’s priorities is improving literacy outcomes for looked after children, of which Swindon has a higher-than-average number.