The Queen Consort took her two rescue dogs Beth and Bluebell on an official visit to Lacock on Wednesday.

To the delight of onlookers, the two Jack Russell terriers, who had been brought along by a helper, were there to greet Camilla as she stepped out of her limousine.

Photographers captured the two Jack Russell Terriers appearing overly-excited as they caught a glimpse of Camilla leaving the car. The dogs yapped and attempted to bound towards her as she greeted community representatives from the village.

The Queen Consort was visiting the 12th century St Cyriac’s Church, the venue of her daughter Laura’s wedding to Harry Lopes in 2006, to plant a hawthorn tree in the churchyard as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative launched in October 2021 to mark Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

Camilla, who lives at Ray Mill House in nearby Reybridge, was greeted by Wiltshire’s Lord Lieutenant, Mrs Sarah Rose Troughton, at the start of her hour-long visit.

Inside St Cyriac’s, she was introduced to Deputy Lord Lieutenant Patrick Wintour, and Reverend Annie Wintour. She also met representatives from St Anne’s Church at Bowden Hill, a sister church to St Cyriac’s.

Patrick Wintour, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, said St Cyriac’s Church is leading a local initiative to create a more natural and biodiverse churchyard to make a more welcoming environment for visitors and locals alike.

Spading the last of the earth into the hole around the tree, the Queen Consort said: “I’m very glad that I didn’t have to dig this.”

Afterwards, she walked into the centre of the picturesque National Trust village – often used as a backdrop to many Hollywood blockbuster films - to meet local residents and shopkeepers.

She was accompanied on her short walk into the village by Hilary McGrady, the National Trust’s director general.

In East Street, she met the Oliver Thomas, 28, and his partner Olivia Spickernel, 23, who founded the OLIV shop during the Covid pandemic lockdown in 2020.

Their homegrown business makes wax candles, wax melts and reed diffusers from the shop and a workshop.

She also visited the giftware shop run by National Trust, the national conservation charity that manages Lacock Abbey, the village’s main tourist attraction built on the site of a former nunnery.

There, she met staff and tenants, including Patrick Holliday, who lives in Church Street, and Jessica Trought, 31, who lives in East Street with her daughter Arla, three.

Afterwards, Jessica said: “It was brilliant. There was a really nice atmosphere in the village all day and that she lives nearby. It was nice for the children to have something to get excited about.”

The Queen Consort’s visit also included the Lacock Village Shop, Post Office and Deli, run by Oliver’s elder brother Sam Thomas, 31, and his partner Ellie Crosby, 31, where their mother Nicola Thomas presented Camilla with a small gift box.

Nicola Thomas said: “It weas really nice and lovely to see her. Her visit has put everyone in the village in a good mood.”

More than 65 children from Lacock Church of England Primary School and the Wise Owls Pre-School lined the school playground waving union flags.

She went along the line shaking hands and was presented with a small bouquet of flowers by Jasmine, ten, and Ryan, four, at the end as a ‘thank you’ for her visit.

Earlier, she met representatives of the Royal Osteoporosis Society at their offices in Bath. She has supported the Society since 1994 and has taken an active and personal interest in raising awareness of the charity’s work.