Twist in Dickens tale from the prince

The Prince of Wales paid tribute to Charles Dickens as “one of the greatest writers of the English language” on the 200th anniversary of the writer’s birth yesterday.

He was joined by Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Archbishop of Canterbury and luminaries from the worlds of literature and theatre for a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, where wreaths were laid at Dickens’ grave in Poets’ Corner.

An event was held simultaneously at Dickens’ birthplace in Portsmouth, where a message from the prince was read out.

In it, he said: “Despite the many years that have passed, Charles Dickens remains one of the greatest writers of the English language, who used his creative genius to campaign passionately for social justice.

“The word Dickensian instantly conjures up a vivid picture of Victorian life with all its contrasts and intrigue, and his characterisation is as fresh today as it was on the day it was written.”

Before the Westminster Abbey ceremony, Charles and Camilla visited the Charles Dickens Museum, on the site of the author’s former home in Doughty Street, central London.

The royal couple were taken on a tour of the museum by its director, Florian Schweizer, during which they examined several of Dickens’ original manuscripts. The prince declared the author’s writing to be “utterly indecipherable”.