Camilla dishes up curry and rice for disadvantaged schoolchildren

The Duchess of Cornwall has embraced an initiative to stop produce going to waste during her Malaysian tour, donning an apron and handing out food to schoolchildren with a smile.

Camilla was following in the footsteps of her food writer son Tom Parker-Bowles as she appeared to revel in the culinary task.

The Duchess chopped up strips of papaya, giving them a squeeze of lime to enhance the flavour, and dished up plates of rice, curry and vegetables during a visit to the Lighthouse Children's Welfare Home in Kuala Lumpur.

She said: "This looks and smells delicious, I think we should stay for lunch."

At one point she had the curry all over her fingers and, looking round for something to wipe them on, she joked: "Unfortunately I can't wipe them on myself today."

She was handed a tea towel and laughed when she realised it had been specially made for her with the words "HRH The Duchess of Cornwall" printed on it.

Camilla, who is touring south-east Asia with the Prince of Wales, learned about the home, which houses 60 disadvantaged children, aged one to 18.

The organisation behind the dishes was the Lost Food Project which reclaims high-quality surplus food from supermarkets and manufacturers, sorts them, and distributes them to a variety of charities.

The organisation gives out 5,000 meals a month and minimises waste by composting any food unfit for human consumption.

Camilla, 70, also spent time talking to many of the children and was given a pink bead bracelet by Ariana Lewis, four, the granddaughter of the Lighthouse's founder, and immediate put it on her wrist.

"How sweet she is, I love this," she said.

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