Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall turns lunch lady on visit to Royal Voluntary Service community centre

Camilla wears a face shield as she helps cut up food for a guest
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Robert Jobson8 October 2020

The Duchess of Cornwall said she felt “like a contestant in Masterchef” as she rolled up her sleeves and served lunch to a group of pensioners on Thursday.

Pointing to the visor she donned to plate up the food at the Mill End lunch club in Rickmansworth, she laughed and said: “I can't see a thing, this is all steaming up!”

Kay Francis, 96, who is almost blind and extremely hard of hearing, had no idea her server was a member of the Royal Family.

As Camilla carefully put a steaming plate of gammon, mash potatoes, carrots and peas in front of her, Kay asked: “Aren’t you going to cut it up?”

Volunteers rushed to help, but the no-nonsense Duchess replied: “Of course I will. More than happy to help.”

“Sorry, I can’t see,” explained Kay, still oblivious to who it was.

“No to worry, I don’t think I can see either, ‘ smiled Camilla. “There’s a lot of mash there, don’t worry. Now, there you are.”

Camilla was there in her role as President of the Royal Voluntary Service
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Staff then took the knife and folk from the pensioner to comply with Covid restrictions and provided her with clean ones.

The duchess was at the Community Centre in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, in her role as patron of the Royal Voluntary Service, one of the largest volunteering organisations in Great Britain.

The Mill End lunch club provides vital hot meals — and company — for elderly people in the area.

Prior to the pandemic, it was open five days a week, but can now only cater for a much smaller number of clients four days a week, with strict social distancing in place.

Camilla was invited by Doris Winfield, 86, who revealed that she had secretly been corresponding with the duchess by telephone and letter since the spring, after being introduced by the RVS through its lockdown ‘check in and chat’ service.

The pensioner said she was delighted to meet her in person at last.

“She’s just a lovely, lovely lady. She has taken time out to speak and write to me without anyone knowing about it.

Camilla speaking with Doris Winfield, 86 during a visit to The Royal Voluntary Service Lunch Club
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“Lockdown was a very lonely time for people like me, I really missed coming here. I used to come every day and now I only come two. Her letters cheered me up no end.”

Spotting her pen pal, Camilla — dressed in a blue Fiona Clare dress with a matching floral mask by the same designer — exclaimed in delight: “Ah! the famous Doris!”

“It is so lovely to meet you at last in person. You asked if I would come, and here I am! I wish I could shake your hand but I'm not allowed so I will have to make do by sitting here on the table opposite you.”

The two women chatted warmly despite the perspex screen separating the table. Doris told the duchess about how one of her daughters worked in the gift shop at Windsor Castle and that she collected Buckingham Palace memorabilia.

“Well I will make sure you get sent some things from Highgrove,” she said, referring to the charitable line run by her husband, the Prince of Wales, and asked her private secretary to make a note.

Speaking to another lunch club attendee, the duchess said: “It’s lovely to have something like this.

“Finding friends, especially after covid, you must have a lot of catching up to do. It makes all the difference, doesn't it?”

Camilla places raspberries on a trifle dessert as she works in the kitchen
POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Camilla so enjoyed her time she even stayed on to decorate the trifles for pudding with cream, chocolate sprinkles and raspberries, although she confessed: 'I'm not very good at this bit.

RVS Chief Executive Catherine Johnstone thanked the duchess for her visit, with Camilla telling her and the diners: 'It is entirely due to Doris, over there, that I am here today. We talked on the telephone and corresponded and she told that she came to this wonderful lunch club in Rickmansworth and said if you are ever coming this way, please drop in. So here I am!

“I’ve tried my hand in the kitchen, not very successfully, but I just wanted to thank all the volunteers, you do the most wonderful job. I am very proud to be part of the RVS. I am sure all these ladies here appreciate how much you do.

“I hope everyone will get up and do their bit to volunteer.'

The RVS is today launching its 'Hour of Need' campaign, calling on the British public to volunteer for at least an hour per week to help support each other through the winter covid crisis.

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