Queen Camilla attends a ‘touching’ poetry recital amid Balmoral holiday

Queen Camilla joined the children and their grandparents for a poetry recital which was held at a school in Ealing, London on Tuesday, August 29.

During the visit, Camilla watched the recitals as the children performed their poems and then presented the certificates.

Launched by Gyles Brandreth in 2019, Poetry Together encourages children and the elderly to learn a poem by heart together which is then followed by a tea party. The Royal website reveals that the Queen was also joined at the school by two special guests, Alice and The Mad Hatter, who presented guests with a Honey and Cream sponge cake, made at Buckingham Palace.

The Queen was particularly moved by a poem recited by 11-year-old, Benjamin Andrews, who had written it about his five-year-old sister, Madeleine, who had cancer. When the brother and sister were introduced to the Queen, Madeleine, who is now in remission, performed a well-practised curtsey.

The royal said some words of kindness to Benjamin, “It was obviously your poem that made her better.”

Brandreth told Daily Mail that "Camilla was very touched by the young person's poem about his sister.”

Of Camilla’s involvement in the event, the Brandreth shared, “Her Majesty is really keen on the English language. She loves poetry, she loves writing, she loves books.”

Over 800 care homes and schools from around the UK have participated since the inception of Poetry Together, and last year, schools in Greece, Romania, the UAE, Nigeria and the USA took part.

Camilla, along with King Charles, are all gathered at the Balmoral for their first end-of-summer break after the passing of the late Queen Elizabeth II.