The Duchess of Cornwall was in St Albans yesterday to give two local causes the royal seal of approval.

Her first stop was at the Jubilee Centre in Catherine Street, St Albans. which the former Camilla Parker Bowles, who is an honorary member of the National Association of Care Catering, visited alongside Lord Lieutenant of Herts, Lady Verulam.

Wearing a blue two-piece with two dragonfly brooches, the Duchess began her tour by speaking with representatives from the county council, the Jubilee Centre and Herts Community Meals.

Colette Wyatt Lowe, county cabinet member for adult care and health, said: “I think it’s an accolade for the quality of service that is offered here.

“We’re really proud of the fact that not only do we provide meals, but we provide support in the community to some of our really vulnerable people and I’m glad she got to see some of that and reflect on what we do offer.”

The Duchess chatted with people who delivered the ‘meals on wheels’ to more than 900 people across the district on behalf of Herts Community Meals.

She greeted the chefs who prepare the meals and then made her way to watch carols performed by pupils from Aboyne Lodge primary school.

Before cutting the Christmas cake she had gifted the centre, the Duchess took time to chat with some of the elderly community who were having their annual Christmas lunch.

Nancy Mount, 88, of Telford Road, London Colney, a retired dinner lady who has been coming to the centre’s Christmas meal for 18 years, said she was very happy to have spoken with the Duchess.

She added: “She was so friendly, really nice. We had a chat about family, she asked who I was spending Christmas with, and I told her I will be having my six children over. She was really lovely.”

The Duchess also visited Emmaus St Albans, the homeless charity that repairs and sells on donated furniture, in Hill End Lane. She is patron of the charity.

After a tour around the workshops, she joined residents for a cup of tea. She finished her trip with a visit to the shop where she met staff and volunteers.

Geoff Newman, a trainee companion at Emmaus, said: “It was a really, really lovely day. It’s a really great honour to have her here. She is the royal patron of our charity, and it was so nice to see that she supports us.

“It’s great to feel like we are getting noticed, and there was a particularly special moment at the end when one of our companions gave the Duchess a vase she had made and the Duchess gave us a really lovely hamper.”

We take a special look at the work of Emmaus to help the homeless at Christmas on p26.