The Duchess of Cornwall visited a Sussex school after being invited by two former pupils.

Amber Satchwell, 16, and Henry Valantine, 19, invited Camilla to visit Ringmer Community College after impressing the Duchess at an event at Clarence House to promote the schools eco- credentials.

The pair helped the school – which uses solar panels, wind turbines and rainwater in its toilets to save energy, win an Ashden Award two years ago.

Amber – who is now studying at Sussex Downs College – asked Her Royal Highness to visit the school and see their hard work.

The Duchess – who was also given a tour of the college, watched a dance performance and was read to by children from Ringmer Primary – said: “Can I just say how pleased I am to have made it here at last.

“When I first met some of you I said I would try to visit, so when I had a letter from Amber I was especially keen to come.

“Your students have done a wonderful job. Keep up the good work.”

After being told about the school’s eco-projects, the Duchess said there was “a lot of work” to be done at Clarence House and invited the students to apply to work for her.

Amber said: “It has been a great opportunity and has really built up my confidence.

“This is the thing I look back on at Ringmer and feel the most proud of. It is a really great feeling for her to have come to see it and makes you realise you can make a difference.

“I might think about applying for a job at Clarence House in the future.”

On arrival at the college yesterday morning, Camilla who grew up on the Plumpton estate and last visited the county only in March, said she was “delighted to be back in Sussex”.

She added: “It is really good to come back to Sussex. Ringmer is just over the hill from where I’m from.”

Seven-year-old Anna Clementine was one of the pupils who read a story to Camilla.

She said: “It was exciting but I was quite nervous to meet her.

“She asked what book I was reading, which was James and the Giant Peach and she said she had read it.”

Zara Green, also seven, read the Duchess an extract from Jacqueline Wilson’s Sleepovers.

Zara said she had been picked from her classmates to meet the Duchess by a process of rock paper scissors, which had left some of her classmates upset.

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