Camilla and Chris Evans star in BBC cartoon to get children writing

The Duchess of Cornwall is providing the voiceover for a cartoon version of herself in an animation promoting a BBC competition to encourage children to write original fiction.

The Duchess stars alongside Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans in the clip which was put together to support his annual 500 Words contest. It attracts thousands of entries and the Duchess hosted last year’s final at St James’s Palace.

This year she has joined the judging panel alongside writers including Malorie Blackman and Charlie Higson. The winner will be announced at Shakespeare’s Globe on May 27.

Evans said: “It’s fantastic fun seeing myself in cartoon form and I’m in the most gracious company imaginable, as none other than Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall agreed to be animated too — for the first time ever.”

Radio 2 controller Bob Shennan said: “Since 500 Words was launched in 2011 over 450,000 stories have been written by children, all keen to hear their creations read aloud on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show.

"I hope parents will encourage their children to take part in 2016 to give us another record-breaking year of entries.”

The Duchess also supports the National Literacy Trust, the Book Trust and presented last year’s Man Booker Prize for Fiction.