Queen bundles into phone box with schoolchildren as she visits gallery

The Queen showed her playful side when she got into an original phone box with eight schoolchildren as she visited England’s oldest picture gallery.

Camilla met pupils of a local school as she was taken around Dulwich Picture Gallery in south London on Thursday to celebrate the opening of the new Artplay Pavilion and sculpture garden.

After being greeted by Jennifer Scott, director of the gallery, the Queen met schoolchildren from Dulwich Village Infants’ and was shown an original telephone box in the garden because its design was inspired by the mausoleum of the gallery.

The children, aged six and seven, peered into the telephone box before one entered it.

“Let’s see how many we can get in there,” the Queen said.

She laughed as she watched eight children cram into the telephone box, before saying “Let me come in” and entering it herself.

Ms Scott said: “Oh your Majesty, we weren’t expecting that! What a treat.”

As it began to rain, Camilla was taken into the Artplay Pavilion, a new indoor play area.

She met supporters of the Open Art project, a £5 million development project at the gallery, and trustees of the art venue.

The Queen tried some of the equipment in the play area and bent to peer into the nooks and crannies, before schoolchildren rushed in to try it for themselves.

“They’re coming in!” she said as they ran in to play in tunnels and climb the indoor slide.

Outside the pavilion, Camilla was taken to see Harold Offeh’s sculpture called Hail the New Prophets, a slide inspired by 1980s spaceships.

The Queen said: “I’m not going down that slide!”

The gallery, which opened to the public more than 200 years ago and was the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery, has a new sculpture garden which is free to access.

Camilla was visibly impressed by the Lovington sculpture meadow, which features a range of sculptures and an earthwork inspired by Rembrandt’s The Girl At A Window.

Finally, two schoolchildren gave the Queen a gift bag from the gallery and some flowers.

“Thank you very much. I’m very lucky,” she told the pair.

“You’re welcome,” the Year 2 boy replied.