The Duchess of Cornwall will visit Manor Primary School in Birkenhead today to find out more about the work of the Foundation Years Trust.

The Duchess has a long-standing commitment to working with organisations helping young people.

During her visit she will see first-hand examples of work by meeting volunteers and staff working with families in the community.

The Duchess will meet with Birkenhead mothers who attend the “Bump-Start” project and will have the chance to speak to volunteers who offer emotional and practical support to new mums in their own homes.

She will then join parents and their children who take part in a “Read It Together” project and enjoy stories and poems ranging from Going on a Bear Hunt to a poem by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

Earlier in the day, the Prince of Wales and Camilla will visit the new Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.

The royals will also attend the World Museum on William Brown Street, where they will view "The Mayas: revelation of an endless time exhibition", a collection of objects from museums and ancient sites in Mexico.

Their arrrival in Merseyside will come less than 24 hours after secret letters sent by Prince Charles to Whitehall revealed how the future king contacted the then Prime Minister Tony Blair to express his concern over a lack of resources for the Armed Forces during the Iraq war.

In one the 27 so-called "black spider" memos,which have been uncovered after a decade-long battle, Charles wrote a four-page letter to Mr Blair about delays to a new aircraft fleet which was forcing troops to carry out "extremely challenging job without the necessary resources." 

The memos, released at 4pm on Wednesday, were sent to ministers in 2004 and 2005.