Duchess Camilla loves reading

Britain's Duchess of Cornwall says one of her favourite hobbies is reading.

Britain's Duchess of Cornwall loves reading.

Camilla - the wife of Prince Charles - joined author Tony Parsons at a course for Transport for London (TfL) employees wanting to improve their English and told the class she spends most of her spare time engrossed in a book.

Camilla - who is patron of several literary organisations, The National Literacy Trust, the Wicked Young Writers' Award, Booktrust and First Story - said:

"I spend my life reading to my grandchildren, trying to get them to concentrate. It takes you completely out of yourself.

"You can forget about everything else and bury yourself in a book."

Camilla admitted she found it "nerve wracking" to read aloud extracts from Tony's novel 'Beyond the Bounty' after watching many of the "brave" students take a turn at reading sections.

However, those assembled were very impressed with the duchess.

Student Nzinga Okera, a station assistant with TfL who is dyslexic, said: "It is important for someone from the royals or someone from that circle to see that - us reading.

"It shows that, even if you don't associate with them, having a conversation on a one-to-one level - I can see that actually we're not that different."