THE Duchess of Cornwall was a roaring success in Greenwich where she launched a national campaign to get dads reading to their little ones.

Camilla donned hand puppets to entertain young readers at West Greenwich Library during a dramatic reading of Where the Wild Things Are.

The bid for fathers to become storytellers comes after charity Booktrust – of which the duchess is patron – revealed just 13 per cent of UK dads read to their children.

The grandmother-of-five met with around 15 members of Greenwich’s enterprising ‘Saturdads’– a club of fathers who bring their tots to the borough’s libraries to read on Saturdays.

Before reading AA Milne’s poem Buckingham Palace, she joked: "It’s a poem my father used to read to me – that was about 100 years ago."

Dressed in a matching purple and green tartan jacket and skirt, the Duchess joined best-selling thriller writer James Patterson to reverse trends of mums acting as chief storyteller and promote reading for boys.

Father-of-two Kabir Miah, 37, from Plumstead, said: "She asked what our favourite books were and she told us her favourite books which she liked to read to her grandchildren were Matilda and Hairy Maclary.

"I have tried to make 50 minutes available to read every day to my children."

The patron of Greenwich Fan Museum then toured the majestic collection nestled in converted Georgian homes in Crooms Hill.

Quipping with staff and volunteers, the duchess was full of admiration for the art form and became one of the first to see the museum’s newest find – a flamboyant original Salvador Dali fan.

Speaking about the 3,500-strong treasure trove – with accessories dating from 11th Century – HRH said: "It is such a treat to be back here again.

"It is such a special place."

The trip was finished off with afternoon tea fit for a duchess - served from a silver samovar in the mural-clad Orangery.

To find out more about the Fan Museum, visit thefanmuseum.org.uk and for further information on Get Dads Reading campaign, visit booktrust.org.uk