The Queen has said the Princess of Wales is “thrilled” by all the public support when she met two sisters holding posters with the poignant words “send our love to Kate”.

Camilla was mobbed by thousands of well-wishers during a visit to a farmers’ market in Shrewsbury town centre where two youngsters waited patiently with their mother hoping catch the royal’s eye.

When the Queen came across them during a walkabout, she stopped to say hello to ten-year-old Harriet and Lois Waterston, aged six, who handed over the posters the pair had made the day before, decorated with stars and hearts.

The older schoolgirl apologised, saying “I’m sorry they’re a bit creased” but Camilla crouched down to talk to them and said “I’ll take them carefully and we’ll make sure she knows they’re coming”.

The visit to Shrewsbury was the Queen’s first royal engagement with members of the public since the monarchy’s double cancer scare.

Camilla was the leading royal figure after the King’s enlarged prostate treatment and later cancer diagnosis, carrying out a string of royal engagements while the Prince of Wales supported his wife following surgery.

She was back at work a few days after Kate’ shock news on Friday she is receiving cancer treatment but remains hopeful.

Lucy Waterson, 44, from Shrewsbury, the mother of the two schoolgirls, said about the posters made by her daughters: “We didn’t think she would get to see them, to be honest, and she said she would certainly pass on her best wishes.”

Camilla spent lunchtime touring the farmers’ market which had a range of produce from Italy, the Caribbean and locally sourced items from Shropshire.

Her first stop was to the “wine twins” Zoe and Melissa Evans who gifted Camilla, known to be a fan of red wine, a bottle of their Pinot Noir.

Zoe said afterwards: “We started in 2020 and the Queen wished us a good summer for the wines.”

When the Queen came across Tracey and Stan Lowe’s stall laden with different types of sausage rolls, she told them “oh, you’ve got lots of yummie things” and later an aide bought two of the meaty snacks.

Camilla’s tour of the market saw her presented with a bottle of Shrewsbury gin, jars of honey from the Shropshire Bee Keepers and she commented about the plight of bees, telling the apiarists “they need your help”.