The Duchess of Cornwall today admitted she shed a tear in her car as she listened to an extraordinary story about bereavement written by a boy of nine.
Fionn McCann, from Co Down, moved the royal – and the nation – with his story about a robin bringing messages to loved ones from those that have passed into ‘the great unknown’.
His short story was read out live on Chris Evans’ Radio 2 breakfast show this morning as Camilla was driving down to Hampton Court Palace, where the finals of the broadcaster’s 500 Words creative writing competition for children were being held.
The Duchess arrived with the star in his own hand-made replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, one of only two in the world, and was so taken with it she joked: ‘Can I borrow this for Royal Ascot?’
Camilla admitted she was moved to tears while listening to a nine-year-old boy’s story about the death of his grandmother today
The Duchess looked animated as she arrived in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang this morning
Camilla was hosting the final of the 500 Words creative writing competition at the Palace
She told Evans that she had been listening to his show in her car on the way down to Surrey when she heard the broadcaster warn that Fionn’s story, which was read out by Paddington and Harry Potter star Jim Broadbent, might be emotional, adding: ‘I’m afraid to say you were right about a little tear and the mascara. [I was] crying. It was really moving. They were all fantastic.’
500 Words is open to children aged five to 13 and invites them to put pen to paper and compose an original work of fiction.
The competition is designed to promote literacy among children, a cornerstone of Camilla’s work. She is now an honorary judge on the competition.
The Duchess of Cornwall looked in high spirits at the event, opting for a chic white dress and silver statement necklace.
The Duchess of Cornwall urged youngsters to ‘never say no to adventures’ as she attended a creative writing event at Hampton Court Palace today
Camilla, 70, arrived in the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car with BBC Radio 2 host Chris Evans
In a speech she urged aspiring young writers to ‘say a big fat yes to adventures’ and told her audience that stories ‘light up our imagination, touch our hearts and get our brains whirring’.
Evans then drove the Duchess – along with children’s author David Walliams, who also read out one of the winning entries – and some of the winners – to a reception in the palace gardens in his Chitty car, honking at astonished passers-by.
Actor Mr Broadbent said of the quality of entries: ‘Well they wonderful, weren’t they? The one I read was beautiful. I was worrying I would get through it.
At the event, Camilla offered her words of advice to the next generation of writers
She and Chris Evans were joined by youngsters who had taken part in the competition
Camilla, who opted for a chic white dress for the event, was joined on stage by Chris Evans
The Duchess said it was a ‘special treat’ to the travel in the ‘magical car from one of my favourite stories’
‘Every time I read it I was choking up a little bit. And such a clever story to come from one so young, I was very impressed, they were all terrific. ‘
Fionn said his story was inspired by both his grandmother and a robin he saw hopping on his way to school.
‘I don’t really remember my granny. She died when I was very young,’ he said.
He admitted that he was a big fan of Paddington and said it was ‘really great’ that Broadbent read his story.