THE King and Queen were all smiles attending a series of public engagements in the St Austell area on Tuesday, March 24.

Their Majesties first stop was the Eden Project to mark its 25th anniversary where they were greeted by loud cheers and rainy weather.

The visit saw Their Majesties enjoy a walk around the heart of the Eden Project to learn more about the charity’s impact over the past quarter century from its £6.8 billion economic impact to the south west economy, to its work in community cohesion, education, nature recovery and globally important horticulture.

Attending the first Big Lunch in 2026 Their Majesties took the opportunity to meet volunteers, funders and philanthropists involved with The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out, the Eden Project’s campaign to encourage community action.

Their Majesties, who last visited the Eden Project together in 2021 as part of the G7 Summit, were welcomed to Cornwall’s iconic gardens by a choir of children from Luxulyan School.

Accompanied by Sir Tim Smit KBE, co-founder of the Eden Project, Andy Jasper, Eden Project CEO, Peter Stewart LVO, Eden Project Director Emeritus, and Erica Neve, Eden Project Trustee, Their Majesties proceeded to the charity’s newest exhibit, the Giant Marble Runs.

The new installation, featuring over 100 metres of interactive track spread across eight unique runs, invites people of all ages to get out and play in nature.

Their Majesties met Simon Jackman, who designed the Marble Runs, and has made over 10,000 marbles for Eden, including some from trees felled by the devastating storms that hit Cornwall in January.

Their Majesties were handed marbles made from a storm felled ash tree from the Duchy Estate to launch down a marble run, helped by local school children who were there to catch the marbles after spinning down the track to its end.

The exhibit as well as well as being nature-based play also delivers the charity’s nature recovery work, with proceeds from the marble run set to support restoration tree planting across Cornwall after opening in late March.

Their Majesties also met the expert teams behind the Eden Project’s breath-taking gardens, and integrated human and nature health recovery work.

They also met the people behind Anthropy, the national gathering of leaders hosted at Eden Project in the coming days where The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out will be proposed to forward-thinking businesses encouraging them to adopt the idea.

Topping off the visit was a celebratory Big Lunch held eld in the Mediterranean Biome, with around 80 guests invited to enjoy a bite to eat and get to know each other better among the Biome’s brightly coloured flowers, olive trees and fragrant herb plants.

Their Majesties met volunteers from charities across the South West including Guide Dogs, Royal Voluntary Service, NSPCC and St Petrocs who all give up their time to help locally and are making plans to support the community celebrations this June.

HM The Queen, as Royal Patron of The Big Lunch since 2013, met leaders from the Pears Foundation and Co-op, who are all helping to make the events possible this June.

Their Majesties also found out more about this year’s collaboration with The Big Help Out which launched on their Coronation weekend in 2023, and calls on people across the UK to take action where they live – from organising a bite to eat with the neighbours to holding a litter pick or spending the day lending a hand at a local charity.

Demonstrating the breadth of ways to make a difference, guests took the time to start their planning and preparations for the weekend. Clean Cornwall are planning ‘Litter Pick and Lunch’ events across the county and Their Majesties chatted to a local group of crafters who host ‘crafternoons’ where people come together to chat and make things together, including some crocheted food items and bunting perfect for a Big Lunch.

The Big Lunch closed with Their Majesties cutting a spectacular cake depicting a street scene, complete with a Big Lunch and volunteering activities ranging from litter picking to tending to a community garden.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho KCVO OBE CStJ, cut the cake using a large ceremonial sword in a tender nod to Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to the Eden Project in 2021.

Peter Stewart LVO, Eden Project Director Emeritus responsible for The Big Lunch, said: “As we mark 25 years since the pioneering charity Eden Project opened its doors – this visit from Their Majesties is truly the icing on the cake in a year set to be full of celebrations.

“It was an honour to share the impact of Eden’s work over the past quarter century with them and to look ahead to the charity’s future with the launch of The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out, which we hope will encourage the whole nation to get in the party spirit by taking action and making a positive difference where they live this year on June 5 to 8.”

Queen Camilla visited St Austell Library on the next stop of the visit where she met school children, library staff and volunteers as well as representatives from charities; including Silver Stories, and The Charles Causley Trust.

She was introduced to Mrs Terry Shaw, the library manager who has worked in the Library Service for 30 years, before meeting staff and volunteers from the St Austell Library Support Association, a volunteer group chaired by 95-year-old Peter Cornall, which runs community activities in the building.

Her Majesty joined local reception-aged school children from Mount Charles School for a reading of a poem by Cornish poet Charles Causley, chosen by representatives of the Charles Causley Trust.

The Queen had the opportunity to hear from representatives of the trust about its work to promote writing and the arts in the Devon and Cornwall area.

Co-founders of Cornwall-based charity Silver Stories, Elisabeth and David Carney-Haworth OBEs, explained to The Queen the work the charity is undertaking to connect school age children with older people through weekly telephone reading sessions.

The initiative aims to improve children’s reading confidence, reduce loneliness among isolated older adults and build meaningful intergenerational relationships.

The Queen unveiled a plaque before departing to join his Majesty The King.

Hundreds of well-wishers gathered in St Austell town centre to see King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

King Charles met local Cornish community groups, and representatives from Young People Cornwall inside the Holy Trinity Church to hear about work being undertaken to support young people in the local area.

His Majesty then walked a short distance to the Grade II-listed Market Hall to hear about regeneration plans for the building and local area.

Members of the Market House Regeneration Committee explained their plans to restore the building as a commercial and cultural hub with aims to stimulate wider investment in the town centre.

Groups involved in creative regeneration and local businesses based in the hall had time to meet both The King and Queen. Her Majesty, as Patron, also met staff from Little Harbour, which is marking its 15th anniversary this year.

The Royal couple emerged to greet members of the public during a walkabout in Church Street before departing.