A little girl who has spent most of her life on chemotherapy was invited for afternoon tea with the Queen – and tried a cuppa for the first time.
Olivia Taylor, seven, has a brain tumour which has left her blind but she leapt up to shout “Hello, your Majesty!” as Camilla entered the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.
And on sipping her drink, poured by the Queen, the schoolgirl declared: “I love tea” to which Camilla replied: “Oh you love tea! There you are, you’ll be able to have tea from now on”.
Olivia and her family were invited for private tea after the Queen learned she had performed with the Bexley Music Primary Choir at Buckingham Palace as part of the pre-recorded King’s Christmas broadcast.
And Camilla was treated to a preview during their meeting, when Olivia stood up and sang Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, to which she received a round of applause.
The schoolgirl, her sister Imogen, four, and their parents Lisa and Matt enjoyed sandwiches – particularly Olivia who asked for more ham ones – scones, Santa cakes and biscuits personalised with the girls’ names.
The Queen, who looked festive in red, asked Mr and Mrs Taylor if they wanted to take the leftover cake home with them, explaining with a laugh, “otherwise, I’ll eat it”.
Mrs Taylor told Camilla how Olivia is currently on a break from chemotherapy for her brain tumour, adding it was “really lovely that this all happened while she is so well”, to which the Queen replied, “she’s so happy – and chatty”.
Also at the tea was Olivia’s teddy, Corrie, which she was given around the time of the King’s Coronation. She also had a personalised biscuit.
Corrie joins Olivia at all of her hospital appointments and supports her in the MRI scanner.
Mrs Taylor, from Bexley, South East London, described the White Drawing Room to Olivia before the Queen arrived.
The room was used in a sketch showing Paddington Bear meeting the late Queen as part of the platinum jubilee celebrations.
Camilla’s equerry, Major Oliver Plunket, took Olivia around the room to feel the decor.
The Queen also described the cupcake with Santa on and helped Olivia to feel Santa’s feet and head.
The youngster then told the Queen she had made her a purple ring, which Camilla called “beautiful” before putting it on.
Olivia and Imogen received a bag of presents from the Queen, which included a corgi teddy, chocolate chip shortbread, corgi socks, a pencil with a crown on, a corgi Christmas tree decoration and, of course, chocolate coins.
At the tea, Olivia was photographed wearing a replica of the Queen Mary crown.
At the end of their meeting, Camilla hugged the girls goodbye and asked Mr and Mrs Taylor to keep her informed of Olivia’s progress, adding: “I’m so glad to have met her.”
Olivia returned the sentiment, saying she “loved” meeting Camilla.
