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The Duchess of Cornwall spoke knowledgeably about the benefits of CBD oil as she toured a London farmers’ market today.

She said she had heard ‘fantastic’ things about the cannabis derivative which has been touted as a wonder cure for everything from arthritis to epilepsy.

Camilla tried a sample of hemp oil, which comes from the seeds of the plant but has no cannaboids in it, declaring it "delicious".

Accompanied by Prince Charles, Camilla was at the Swiss Cottage Farmers’ Market to celebrate the 20th anniversary of London Farmers’ Markets.

The couple touted stalls and met several owners who have sold at the market since its first year in 1999.

During the visit, a "flash mob" performance of Oliver! by the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama took place around the couple, much to their amusement.

At the "Hempen" stall the duchess chatted to Sophia Lysaczenko, 31, who works on a hemp co-operative in south Oxfordshire.

Camilla seemed keen to chat about the apparent benefits of CBD oil - formally known as cannabidiol - which has become a popular natural remedy for people concerned about the side effect and effectiveness of traditional drugs.

Made from the whole of the hemp plant, including its stalks and flowers, it does not contain the compounds that can cause users to become "high".

Last year specialist doctors were given the option to legally issue prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines when they agree that their patients could benefit from this treatment.

But there has been concern about how easy it is to obtain them on the NHS - and there are still those who are yet to be convinced about the medicine's effectiveness.

"How do you make it?" Camilla asked.

"This oil is so fantastic. It helps so many people. I’ve spoken to people who have serious conditions such as epilepsy that have benefited from it."

She even tried some £8 hemp oil - made from the seeds of the plant, which is said to contain more beneficiary omegas than fish oil - with a piece of bread, saying: "Wonderful!"

Sophia, who describes herself as a hemp farmer and has been licensed for the last three years to produce the oils, said afterwards: "She knew instantly what hemp was and was very knowledgable about it. She seemed very on board. She said she had spoken to someone who suffered from epilepsy who had benefitted from CBD oil.

"It was so encouraging to hear."

As they toured the market Charles and Camilla also sampled some White Lake cheese: Somerset Solstice for him and a bite of Sheep Rustler for her.

"It’s so lovely," declared Camilla, "I keep bingeing on it."

At the Bath Cheese Company, Charles couldn’t stop trying samples. "That is so appetising," he declared.

Camilla dallied at the Exmoor Caviar company, which received permission from the Queen to start farming Sturgeon in South Devon, as they are considered to be "royal fish". It was the first producer to seek permission for 691 years. It now boasts 80 Michelin stars among its customer base.

The Duke of Edinburgh was the first to sample the product commercially after it began production in 2012.

The duchess chatted at length with founder Ken Benning and told him that her son, Tom Parker Bowles, a food writer, had told her about the home-grown caviar and sampled a bite straight from the spoon. "I’m delighted to see you doing so well," she beamed.

"We are very grateful for the royal family’s support," he replied.

She also stopped off at the Old Bakery Gin stall, which is made by a firm of local plumbers. "My husband is the gin drinker," she smiled when offered a sample..

Clearly enjoying herself, Camilla happily stopped to pose for photographs with stunned shoppers and picked up some of her favourite spelt bread at the Aston’s artisan bread stall.

She was also given a jar of Jamaican chutney by Kush Cuisine and told the owner: "My husband is a great lover of chutney, he’s a huge fan."

She also seemed taken by the Guernsey cow milk on offer at Hurdlebook, telling them proudly: "My grandmother had Guernsey herds. It’s wonderful milk."

Before she and her husband left there was time for a cup of tea and a slice of birthday pumpkin cake from the Honeypie bakery, of which Camilla symbolically cut the first slice, jokingly waving the knife at her husband as she mimicked his technique for tree planting. Charles always waves his shovel after he has made the first dig.

The couple clearly enjoyed the delicious offering, with Charles saying: "It’s such a special treat."

London Farmers’ Markets director Cheryl Cohen describe the visit as a "privilege" and said their support meant a great deal.

Swiss Cottage Farmers’ Market opened in 1999, becoming the third location of London Farmers’ Markets.

To mark the 20th anniversary, over 30 farmers and producers were invited from across the 22 weekly markets run by London Farmers’ Markets and join the normal weekly sellers.