Queen Camilla was left stunned as schoolchildren let her “win” a mini grand prix on her recent visit to an east London school on Tuesday.
The Queen officially opened the new Mulberry Academy London Dock, a secondary school in Tower Hamlets, East London, which aims to provide exceptional standards of education alongside extra-curricular programmes.
Camilla competed in a grand prix against 11-year-old pupil Mahira, winning the sprint car race in 0.900 seconds, beating the school girl.
The 77-year-old recorded her reaction time to the starter gun at 0.198 seconds.
Queen Camilla was left stunned as schoolchildren let her “win” a mini grand prix on her recent visit to an east London school on Tuesday
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After the race, the Queen said: “I can’t believe I beat you.
“I think you were being very kind.”
The school welcomed its first cohort of 128 Year 7 students in September 2024 and is part of the Mulberry Schools Trust family of schools.
It plans to expand progressively each year until reaching full capacity in 2029.
Camilla competed in a grand prix against 11-year-old pupil Mahira
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The tour included the Queen taking a trip to the science lab, where the royal examined pupils extract dye from spinach and beetroot.
Camilla said: “My goodness, I haven’t seen one of these Bunsen burners for a very long time.”
The Queen met with students involved in Global Girl Leading, a Mulberry Changemaker programme that develops leadership skills for girls aged 11-18.
The 77-year-old royal heard about the students’ recent work with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in the school’s Faith Space.
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Camilla was thanked for her ‘steadfast support’ for the trust over the past 12 years
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The tour included meetings with parents of students participating in sewing and baking classes, as well as students involved in the “Letters to Our Daughters” poetry project.
Before departing, Camilla was thanked for her “steadfast support” for the trust over the past 12 years.
She was also presented with a cake, which she said she would have “for my tea”.
Queen Camilla made a speech in which she said: “I think I came to my first visit 12 years ago and since then I appear to have become more and more involved with you. Coming to this wonderful new school today just to see how everything is progressing in such a brilliant way, I just hope the Mulberry tradition will go on for ever and ever. I can only congratulate you and thank you very, very much for having me and letting me win a car race.”