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Queen presents children with books during primary school visit

Camilla visited Lacock Church of England Primary School in Lacock, near Chippenham, Wiltshire.

Rod Minchin
Thursday 11 July 2024 16:28 BST
Queen Camilla poses for a photo with pupils during a visit to Lacock Church of England Primary School in Chippenham, Wiltshire (Hollie Adams/PA)
Queen Camilla poses for a photo with pupils during a visit to Lacock Church of England Primary School in Chippenham, Wiltshire (Hollie Adams/PA) (PA Wire)

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The Queen has presented children with a selection of books during a visit to a primary school.

Camilla visited Lacock Church of England Primary School in Lacock, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, to mark its 200th anniversary.

Among the books the Queen gave the school for its library was a copy of Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone.

The Queen joins an art class at Lacock Church of England Primary School (Hollie Adams/PA)
The Queen joins an art class at Lacock Church of England Primary School (Hollie Adams/PA) (PA Wire)

Lacock Abbey was used as one of the locations for the first of the hit Harry Potter movies.

She also donated copies of Paddington At The Palace, The Tiger Who Came To Tea, Swallows And Amazons and Moorland Mousie, for which Camilla wrote the foreword.

During the visit, Camilla was shown around the school by headteacher Caroline Jackson and took part in lessons on poetry, art and music.

The school was built in 1824 to mark the 21st birthday of William Henry Fox Talbot – a scientist, inventor and pioneer of modern photography.

To celebrate the anniversary, the school has also created a scrapbook, marking all its celebratory events throughout the year and Camilla signed the first page.

The Queen unveiled a plaque and was presented with a posy and centenary badge by two pupils, Parker and Arla.

The Queen listens as a pupil reads a poem they have written (Hollie Adams/PA)
The Queen listens as a pupil reads a poem they have written (Hollie Adams/PA) (PA Wire)

Thanking the children, the Queen said: “I shall make sure I wear it. Thank you very much. That’s really kind.”

Mrs Jackson told Camilla: “It has been a huge, huge pleasure to welcome you to our school today to celebrate our bicentenary.

“We have had such a busy 2024 and your visit is one of the highlights of our year.”

After joining a group photograph with pupils and teachers underneath the foundation stone bearing the date 1824, the Queen met members of the public who had gathered outside the school.

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