YOUNGSTERS from a school near Oswestry mingled with royalty at a national competition.

The Prince of Wales, patron of the Prayer Book Society, praised Moreton Hall students who were among the finalists at the Society’s thirtieth annual Cranmer Awards Competition at Lambeth Palace in London.

In front of a panel of judges which included the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, actress Prunella Scales, novelist PD James and the poet CH Sisson, the finalists recited memorised passages from Thomas Cranmer’s 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

Addressing the finalists at the prize-giving, the prince said: “I believe the Prayer Book is a glorious part of every English speaker’s heritage.”

It is a sentiment shared by the Moreton Hall school finalists Zoe Tse, Florence Tyne, Aghoghomena Akpoteni and Isabella Harpin.

Zoe said: “I felt so privileged to be able to be in the Thomas Cranmer National Finals and to attend Lambeth Palace.

“I recited The Seventh Sunday after Trinity Collect. To do this at the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury was an historic and moving moment.

“After lunch in the state dining room, we had the results with HRH the Prince of Wales presenting the prizes. It was such an honour to have the opportunity to meet him.

“This amazing event could not have taken place without the help of Merriel Halsall-Williams, head of spoken English at Moreton Hall, who has administered this competition so well over the past 15 years.”

Florence said that it was "incredible" to shake the prince's hand and discuss the competition and the benefits of teaching Shakespeare to students.

"I will never forget this inspiring day,” she added.

Aghoghomena agreed that the event and the meeting had been momentous.

“It was an experience like no other. I remember apprehensively waiting for the day to arrive in which I would actually meet the Prince of Wales," she said.

“Before I knew it, I was presenting my Collect and Gospel from memory to other competitors and people who attended the awards. Although I wasn’t a winner on the day, meeting Prince Charles felt like I had already won.”