PRINCE Charles thanked a steadfast fundraiser from Chester for sending boxes of goodies out to soldiers in Afghanistan including his Harry.

Grandmother Margaret McKeegan, 78, of Francis Street, Newtown, went to St James’ Palace after receiving a Diamond Champions Award which honours the work of older volunteers from across the UK during the Queen’s Jubilee year.

Run by the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS), the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall agreed to be patrons and meet a select group of short-listed award winners who received a specially designed Diamond Champions badge and certificate.

Margaret, who has so far sent 7,529 boxes to serving soldiers – latterly including Christmas treats such as mince pies and Christmas cake – spent 15 minutes talking to Camilla.

She said: “She’s very nice. I must say I wasn’t a fan of Camilla’s, I’ll be honest. I was a Diana fan but she was very down to earth. ‘Margaret,’ she said. ‘It’s lovely’. She said ‘I can’t believe it’. I said I got 23 letters back last week from Afghan. I have letters every day from every regiment I do and she said ‘That’s wonderful’.

“She said ‘Charles this is Margaret from Chester who does all the army work’ and he was very interested in that. I said ‘How’s Harry? I’ve sent out to the squadron but I couldn’t put his name on because of security’. He said ‘Thank you very much for that’.”

Margaret spends £35-40 a week of her own money on the boxes and organises raffles and charity nights to help raise thousands of pounds for the families of wounded soldiers.

She also collects donated equipment for the injured like mobility scooters and walking frames. “I just keep on going until I can do no more,” said Margaret, who was a special guest at the medal ceremony for the Royal Welsh Regiment at the racecourse on Friday.

Among the celebrities present at the St James’ Palace event were Phillip Schofield, Kimberley Walsh, Patricia Routledge, Gloria Hunniford, Felicity Kendal and Denise Robertson.