Girl, 11, impresses Queen with handmade beeswax candles

The Queen told an 11-year-old girl she was “very impressed” after being handed a set of homemade candles during a visit to Newquay, Cornwall.

Camilla was met outside Wave House Church on East Street by Eliana Daka, who presented her with three beeswax candles she had made at home and calls the “trinity”.

Camilla asked: “Are these candles? These are for me?” before adding: “Oh brilliant, thank you very much indeed.”

From left, Elijah Daka 15, Jedidiah Daka eight, their mother Sara and Eliana Daka, 11, who presented Camilla with handmade candles in Newquay (Joseph Hadden/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Joseph Hadden

Eliana introduced herself and explained that she runs her own small candle business from home.

Camilla told her she was “very impressed” and said Eliana was “enterprising”.

Speaking afterwards, Eliana said she was thrilled to meet Camilla and had told her about making the candles herself. “She said she loves candles,” Eliana added. “This is one-of-a-kind experience.”

Her mother, Sara Daka, 40, said she was proud of her daughter’s efforts, explaining that she had chosen beeswax “because it’s the most natural” and used “100% essential oils” in her products.

“She just has fun with it,” Ms Daka said. “Although my kitchen is a mess, she’s absolutely done it all herself.”

Camilla (right) meets members of a knitting club during her visit to Newquay (Adrian Dennis/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Adrian Dennis

Inside the church, Camilla praised the work of local groups supported by the Cornwall Community Foundation, of which she has been patron since 2005.

She told volunteers: “I’m thrilled to be back in Cornwall again, this wonderful county, and thank you to everyone who is involved in this wonderful community.

“You do a wonderful job, a much-needed job.”

The Queen waves to a child during her visit to Newquay to see local projects supported by the Cornwall Community Foundation, of which she has been patron since 2005 (Adrian Dennis/PA) PA Wire/PA Images - Adrian Dennis

She spent about 40 minutes at the church, hearing about the Turnaround Project, which provides housing and mentoring to vulnerable and at-risk young people, and meeting representatives from Newquay Foodbank and Clothes Horse, which provides clothing for families in need.

She later greeted several hundred well-wishers who had gathered in the streets outside.

Since 2003 the Cornwall Community Foundation has awarded more than £22 million in grants to grassroots organisations across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, including more than £117,000 to Wave House Church over the past two decades.

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