THE DUCHESS of Cornwall painted a sunset and tried her hand at cooking a chocolate pudding during a tour of the Women’s Institute college at Marcham yesterday.

During her tour of Denman College, she dropped in on cookery, art, bookbinding and embroidery classes.

The Duchess, who is a member of Tetbury Evening WI in Gloucestershire, said: “I have had a wonderful time. I have cooked — or nearly —and I have painted. But I have not sewn because it is not my forte.”

She added: “I have been riveted by the courses here.”

Sonia Edwards, president of Marcham WI, said: “Lots of people from all over the country come for our courses in a whole range of subjects from academic to practical and craft.

“It is a sort of Mecca for WI ladies.”

It was the first time a royal had visited the college since the Queen opened the home economics centre in 1979.

Camilla sat in on a cookery class hosted by Masterchef 2010 winner Dhruv Baker.

Mr Baker said: “WIs are the real heart of home cooking in the country. She seemed genuinely interested in what everyone was doing and you could see how delighted they were to have her here.”

Cookery student Josie Penney, 72, of the Charlton WI in Wantage, said: “She was so natural and she seemed very interested in what we were doing.”

Another student, Jean Geary, 62, of Hanney WI, said: “She spoke to me quite a bit. She was telling me a bit about her son Tom Parker Bowles, who is also into cooking.”

Camilla even had a go at painting a sunset scene.

Art teacher Jill McKay said: “It was quite good. She did very well and I have given it to her to take home. It was delightful to have her in the class and to support our students with her comments.”