Queen Consort Camilla has shared her fond memories of Queen Elizabeth II, recalling a humorous story from her wedding to King Charles III.
Camilla, who had known the monarch for decades, said the Queen had a clear boundary between her public duties and private life and her summers at Balmoral in Scotland were a moment for “her enjoyment”.
The Queen died at her private Scottish estate on the 8th September, with the Royal Family releasing a statement that read: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
“The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
Camilla continued: “She made a rule that she had her private time and her private passions and then her public role and I think that is very important that, you know, the diary is planned out so you know when you’re on duty and when you’ve got to do things.
“Then when she went up to Scotland in August, you know that was the moment where it was her enjoyment.
“Although she was probably working, you know with her red boxes throughout, she could have her family to stay, she could do the things she loved.”
Reflecting on her wedding day in 2005, Camilla said: “I remember coming from here, Clarence House, (to) go to Windsor the day I got married when I probably wasn’t firing on all cylinders, quite nervous and, for some unknown reason, I put on a pair of shoes and one had an inch heel and one had a two-inch heel.
“So, I mean talk about hop-a-long and there’s nothing I could do. I was halfway down in the car before I realised and you know, she – she could see and laughed about it and said, ‘look I’m terribly sorry’ and she did, you know, she had a good sense of humour.”
Queen Consort shared her fond memories of Queen Elizabeth II, sharing a humorous story from her wedding to King Charles III.
Bob Collier
Elsewhere she described Queen Elizabeth II’s “wonderful blue eyes”, adding: “When she smiles, you know, they light up her whole face. I’ll always remember that smile, you know, that smile is unforgettable.”
Camilla also spoke about how Queen Elizabeth II carved out her own role for many years in the “difficult position” of being a “solitary woman” in a male-dominated world.
She added : “I can’t remember anyone except the Queen being there.”
On the evening of her Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II said it was her “sincere wish” that the then-Duchess of Cornwall would be known as Queen Consort when Charles became King.
At 8pm, the country observed a one-minute silence to remember the Queen, with people invited to mark the occasion privately at home, on their doorstep or street, or at community events and vigils.
The Queen Consort during a reception for local charities at Cardiff Castle in Wales
Chris Jackson