A social care hero from Powys was hailed as “truly magnificent” by King Charles when she met him during a special reception at Windsor Castle.

Shiny Skaria from Rhayader, who won gold at last year’s Wales Care Awards, also had a chance to chat with Queen Camilla at the prestigious event.

Shiny, along with Taurai Zimbi from Barry and retired nurse Carol Dight who worked across South Wales, was among invited guests at the reception celebrating the extraordinary contribution of the nation’s social care workforce.

They were accompanied by Mario Kreft MBE, chair of Care Forum Wales, which runs the Wales Care Awards.

Broadcaster Kate Garraway, actress Patricia Hodge, TV doctor Ranj Singh and celebrity Coleen Rooney were among the familiar faces at the occasion, which was also attended by the Duchess of Edinburgh.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer was one of several politicians at the event and other MPs included Ed Davey, Stephen Kinnock and Pat McFadden.

Shiny, 37, originally from Kerala in India, works at Crosfield House, a 64-bed nursing home based in Rhayader, and was crowned the overall winner in the Independent Sector Nurse of the Year.

She said: “When we were talking to the King, he said something like our efforts are truly magnificent.

“I said I was from Kerala and he said he could remember the time he went to Kerala very well because he celebrated one of his birthdays there.

“He said he remembered the cakes were amazing, and it was lovely to hear that, and I can’t imagine how he can remember all these things.

“It was a really nice conversation, he seems like a very down to earth person, it was a very easy, simple conversation, which is a great thing.

“It was absolutely mesmerising, I don’t think I have any other words to describe it.

“It is only my sixth year in the country, so I never thought I would have the chance to meet the King.

“I just feel blessed to have seen him.”

According to Shiny, the group also had a chance at the royal reception to briefly meet Queen Camilla and the Prime Minister and was introduced to Welsh Government politicians by Mr Kreft.

“I think carers should be celebrated and for us to be invited to a royal reception is a big achievement, “ she said.

Mr Kreft said the invitation to the royal reception was an opportunity to talk to the King about the incredible work carers do and about the Wales Care Awards.

He said: “Taurai, Shiny and Carol were three of our top winners at the care awards and I was able to explain to the King who they were and why they were there.

“He spoke to Taurai and said he remembered being in Zimbabwe to sign the declaration of independence.

“He said he knew of Kerala in India where Shiny is from and he had a little chat with Carol, he just puts everybody at ease.

“It was a big thrill for all of them and I was just pleased to be able to accompany them.

“After 23 years and over 900 exceptional individuals in Wales being at the Wales Care Awards for what they do, it was a great honour to take three of those 900 to meet the King and Queen.

“That recognition is for the workforce in Wales, the awards themselves, Care Forum Wales and everybody connected with care in the independent sector.

“It’s like a coming of age for the awards. What better place to get that than at Windsor Castle with the King and Queen recognising three exemplars of those 900 over those 20-odd years?

“The King said to us it was the first time they had actually done anything like this.

“It was an occasion befitting the value of social care workers and carers in our society.

“Everybody in Wales who works in the profession can be justifiably proud.

“Despite all the challenges, they are very resilient and they deserve to be there and be represented there.”

This year’s Wales Care Awards ceremony will take place at the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff on Friday, October 16.

Nominations close on February 28, visit walescareawards.co.uk for more information.