The Queen had her praises sung by former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner this afternoon as they visited a cancer support charity to meet people living with the disease.

Visiting the Maggie’s cancer care centre in Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, Camilla – who was a ‘rock’ for her husband, King Charles, when he was found to have the disease almost two years ago – said it was important for them to ‘have a place where they needn’t pretend to be fine’.

Her Majesty is patron of the charity, which has 27 centres up and down the country helping people impacted by the disease, and is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The Queen has previously met Horner before and greeted her with a warm kiss on each cheek, saying: ‘How are you, Geri? Is this your first visit?’

Horner, who has recently been introduced to the charity, said: ‘I think it’s absolutely amazing. I appreciate everything so much more when I have support and you bring joy into that process and that’s what Maggie’s does.

‘I’m such a big fan of the Queen. I think she’s amazing and stoic. I think she’s fantastic, a formidable force of nature. She’s watched Maggie’s grow, and it teaches us that we need each other.’

The singer joined the Queen as she met cancer patient Caitlin Warrington, 23, who was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer when she was just 14, and suffered relapses at 16 and 18. She is now in remission.

Explaining how Maggie’s had helped them, Caitlin said: ‘It’s not just for me but for my also mum as well. We both come for support, and financially as well, so it’s been really great.’

The Queen joined former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner as they visited a cancer support charity to meet people living with the disease this afternoon – after Camilla attended an event at a domestic abuse support centre earlier in the day

The King’s wife arrived at Maggie’s Cheltenham centre in Gloucestershire on Wednesday afternoon to mark the organisation’s 30th anniversary

Elsewhere, earlier today, the Queen spoke of her gratitude to organisations supporting victims of domestic abuse, as she was shown some of the ingenious ways they have helped them

Caitlin’s mother Nikki said: ‘As we all know, in a hospital environment you just don’t get that support, when you’re sat in cold waiting rooms or you’re sat by a bed. Once the treatment is over you are just left on your own.’ 

Camilla replied: ‘There are hundreds of questions to ask which nobody has time to answer, which you come here and there are people ready to answer.’

The Queen, in a blue cashmere suit by Fiona Clare, had arrived under an umbrella and was greeted by Maggie’s chief executive Dame Laura Lee and Cheltenham’s mayor, Cllr David Willingham.

In a speech, she described Maggie’s as ‘a bright, peaceful place, with inspiring people full of stories about the difference that Maggie’s had made to them and to their families.

Paying tribute to Maggie Keswick Jencks, a writer, gardener and designer who used her own experience of cancer to co-found the drop-in centres, which offer free psychological, emotional and practical support, she said: ‘I cannot help but look around and reflect how proud Maggie would be to see her incredible legacy.

‘She understood – for herself and for others – the importance of feeling in control, rather than a helpless victim. She knew how vital it is to have access to information about treatment and the various options available. 

‘Above all, Maggie was convinced that people living with cancer crave a beautiful, comforting environment as they face the unknown; a place where they needn’t pretend to be fine; where they can receive expert support, sympathy and a cup of tea – and where laughter can come as naturally as tears, because sometimes that’s what’s wanted.’

Before she left, Camilla unveiled a portrait of herself, by artist Eileen Hogan which had been commissioned by the King and donated to Maggie’s by the artist. It shows Camilla sitting at her desk at Birkhall. 

She also unveiled a portrait of herself by artist Eileen Hogan, and will hear about the revamped garden at the centre

Pictured: Geri, Camilla, Maggie’s Chief Executive Dame Laura Lee and artist Eileen Hogan unveiling the artwork donated by Ms Hogan to Maggie’s

The Queen has been president of Maggie’s since 2008 and has visited 18 of its 27 centres. The first Maggie’s opened in the grounds of the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, in 1996. Pictured with Geri

Camilla marvelled at how staff had developed a range of everyday handbag items such as hand sanitisers and trolley coins that have the emergency number for Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Services (GDASS) hidden in the barcode

She was visiting the centre, the location of which is kept secret due to security reasons, after meeting a local councillor at a garden party last year and being told about its vital work

She was particularly fascinated about how the service gets word to those that need their help, which ranged from posters in toilets and doctors’ surgeries, as well as the ingenious range of everyday handbag items

The Cheltenham centre, which Camilla opened in 2010, has recently been extended and had landscaping to enhance the space.

There were more kisses between Camilla and Geri as the Queen left.

Dame Laura said: ‘We are always delighted to welcome our President, Her Majesty the Queen, to our centres and to do so today at the start of our 30th anniversary year is very special.

‘Her heartfelt words about the importance of our expert care and the impact of Maggie’s vision on those facing cancer are touching and powerful. We are so honoured she has chosen to share them with us.

‘I am so incredibly grateful to Her Majesty for all the support she has so generously given since she became our President in 2008.

‘I know her words will help encourage more people to come to us for support and find ways of experiencing the joy of living despite a daunting cancer diagnosis.

‘As we now look towards the next three decades of Maggie’s, with the aim of realising our ambition of having 60 centres across the UK so no one faces cancer alone, it is wonderful to know she is with us every step of the way.’