Christmas came early for a group of children from Oxford's Helen and Douglas House when they were invited to go and help decorate Prince Charles's Christmas tree.

The group of 10 children and young adults - who all suffer from life-limiting conditions - spent an hour and a half with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, decorating the eight foot tree in the Prince's library at Clarence House, his London residence.

Katie James, 12, from Woodstock, who goes to Helen House, presented the Duchess with a Helen and Douglas House teddy bear.

She said: "I really liked it when I was decorating the tree and I also really liked the way everyone was friendly and relaxed rather than being tense and formal."

The Duchess also met Ingrid Warren, 30, from Oxford, who she was first introduced to during a visit to the hospice in the summer.

Ms Warren said: "I had just had a kidney transplant then and she saw me in isolation. She talked about how well I was looking today.

"It's an experience to be here. It's something I couldn't have done if I wasn't at Douglas House."

The guests also joined the Duchess for mince pies and cakes.

Hospice chaplain Mark Birch said the children, and their carers, had a wonderful time.

He said: "The staff in Clarence House were all very attentive.

"I think the children almost felt like royalty themselves, they were certainly treated royally.

"It was lovely, absolutely lovely, and they put on a special thing for us where the Prince's Equerry, who was dressed in his Welsh Guardsman's uniform, helped the children put the decorations on the tree with his sword.

"Camilla stayed with us the whole time and then joined us afterwards for a tea party."

The Duchess of Cornwall is patron of Helen and Douglas House, and invited the youngsters to help decorate the tree after she visited the hospice, in Magdalen Road, East Oxford, in June to open a special garden area. Sister Frances Dominica, who founded the hospice, said: "It was fantastic, not only will the children and young people never forget it, but the parents will never forget it either.

"It was just delightful.

"One or two of the children she had met in the summer and she immediately remembered them and was asking about the next occasion we could meet."

James Lewis, 20, of Farmoor, near Oxford, who has muscular dystrophy, was meeting the Duchess for the second time.

He said: "I thought she was very natural, like one of us.

"It was quite good fun and quite interesting visiting Clarence House and seeing all the lovely architecture.

"She was really easy to talk to and it was very nice to be invited."

And after the group had enjoyed a tea party, they were all presented with goodie bags full of Duchy Original goods and a large gold Buckingham Palace chocolate coin.

He said: "It's just been a really magical experience.

"She was just so naturally hospitable and was chatting very naturally with the children and everyone who was there.

"I think it made them feel special."