The Duchess of Cornwall had the chance to meet Lucy Dahl, the youngest daughter of legendary children's author Road Dahl, during an engagement on Tuesday afternoon. Camilla was unveiling the 'Dream Jar' – a glass container featuring a sculpture of five children learning how to read at different stages – when she and Lucy started chatting about the subject of reading.
"She's absolutely lovely – she's just like you and me," said Lucy, 50. "She and I had a conversation about how wonderful it is that children are reading. They spend so much time on their iPads and tablets playing games. I've been asked before what would Dad think of that, and he'd be absolutely horrified that children spend so much time on there."
Lucy added: "But I've had parents say to me, 'I didn't think my child was going to read, ever, ever, until they found his stories'. Every story is different, every character is different. There's always an underdog but every character is different."
© Photo: Getty Images"She's absolutely lovely – she's just like you and me," said Lucy Dahl
Camilla, who turns 68 this week, was carrying out the engagement as Patron of Roald Dahl 100. The 'Dream Jar' was created by movie art director Michael Howells following a brief from the Duchess.
As the rain tipped down in central London, Camilla pointed to the jar and joked: "At least that's not getting wet in there."
Inspired by the Dream Jars used by The BFG in Dahl's book and to coincide with the release of the film The BFG next week, 50 jars will go on display across London and other cities this summer as part of The BFG Dream Jar Trail.
They will later be auctioned off with proceeds going to Save the Children and Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity.
© Photo: Getty ImagesCamilla met youngsters who are helped by the charity
Youngsters helped by the charity and their specialist nurses were among those who met Camilla. They included 10-year-old Oscar Gover, who has a severe form of epilepsy and was with parents Matt and Tanya, twin brothers Magnus and Reuben, seven, and his nurse Lily Gyergyak.
Camilla asked them: "Have you had a look at my jar? Do you think it's quite cool? We need to encourage lots of people to bid for these. It's all going to the charity, so it's going to raise a lot of money."
The Duchess also reflected: "The power of a good story is immense. It starts a voyage of discovery into different worlds that broadens and stimulates our minds. My dream is that every child learns to read and discovers the lifelong pleasure of books."
© Photo: Getty ImagesEarlier in the day she hosted a reception for the National Osteoporosis Society
Earlier in the day Prince Charles' wife hosted a star-studded reception for a charity very close to her heart, the National Osteoporosis Society, of which she is President.
She became involved with the charity, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, after losing both her mother, Rosalind Shand, and grandmother Sonia Keppel to the disease.
She told guests including Richard E Grant, Sir Julian Fellowes, Felicity Kendall, Kathy Lette and Jools Holland: "I became involved in it in 1994 after watching my mother stoically suffering the appalling pain and ignominy of this devastating disease, which in the end resulted in her early death at the age of 72.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Duchess lost her mother and grandmother to the disease
"Back in those dark old days my family was not alone in knowing next to nothing about osteoporosis. It was rarely discussed and seldom diagnosed and usually attributed to women of a certain age.
"I was determined, for my mama's sake, to find out more and to find a way of helping others avoid the same excruciating pain and disregard that she, and many of her generation had encountered."
