Camilla and the Windsor women lead the way
The Queen and her female cohort hold the fort
Keep calm and carry on – that could be the motto for Queen Camilla, who has been an absolute trooper this week by holding not the fort, but the palace, in the absence of King Charles and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Camilla – and her band of Windsor women – have been getting on with it as normal, attending events and continuing with public duties. In fact, the 76-year-old has been so busy, she’s been up and down the country, as well as tending to Charles, after his prostate operation.
On Wednesday, she opened a new Maggie’s cancer care centre in North London, telling well-wishers, the King is “getting on” and “doing his best”. And on Thursday, she was in Bath celebrating 850 years of St John’s Foundation.
She’s ably supported by the super-stalwart of the Royal Family, Princess Anne, who, true to form, has also been conducting multiple engagements, including visiting Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, to mark its UNESCO World Heritage status and attending the Scotland v Wales rugby game in Cardiff on Saturday.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has also been out, visiting The Lighthouse in Woking, where she served tea and cake and showed off her knitting skills, as well as the Surrey History Centre. They’re certainly the ladies to call on in a crisis.
The Queen’s big book project
Our favourite initiative of the Queen’s however, has to be her big/little book project. The well-known bibliophile has outdone herself with the Modern-Day Miniature Library, created to celebrate the Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House’s centenary. The famous dolls’ house, in Windsor Castle, featured a library of miniature hand-written books by 200 writers of the 1920s, including Arthur Conan Doyle, Vita Sackville-West, A. A. Milne and Thomas Hardy.
Camilla commissioned miniature manuscripts by 20 writers and illustrators, to be displayed alongside the dolls’ house. Each manuscript is 4.5cm high and authors include Sebastian Faulks, Bernadine Evaristo, Philippa Gregory, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler – and son Tom Parker Bowles. She held a reception in Windsor Castle, to open it, on Tuesday.
“These new books highlight the incredible richness of twenty-first century literary talent,” Camilla said, “whose work brings joy, comfort, laughter, companionship and hope to us all, opening our eyes to others’ experiences and reminding us that we are not alone.” To see the mini-books, take a tour of Windsor Castle.
Kate and Charles are home and on the mend
Monday was a very happy royal news day with both the King and Princess of Wales leaving The London Clinic. After a three-night stay, Charles walked out the front door, all waves and smiles with Camilla by his side, while hours earlier Catherine had secretly made her departure and was already home at Windsor’s Adelaide Cottage after spending 13 days at the private hospital.
These different exits signalled the severity of their operations and their individual roads to recovery. Charles, treated for an enlarged prostate, will be back at work as soon as he can. Catherine’s planned major abdominal surgery means we will not see her on royal duty until after Easter, possibly sometime mid-April or when advised by her doctors.
“The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress,” a Kensington Palace statement said. “The Prince and Princess wish to say a huge thank you to the entire team at The London Clinic, especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care they have provided. The Wales family continues to be grateful for the well wishes they have received from around the world.”
Charles, who elected to make his condition known in order to raise awareness, is believed to still be working through his red boxes and affairs of state while recuperating. A statement on the Royal Family’s social accounts said: “Thank you to all those who have sent their good wishes during The King’s hospital stay. His Majesty is delighted that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness.”
The Big Help Out returns
Following the success of last May’s volunteering initiative for the Coronation, The Big Help Out is back this year and this time it’s from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 June. On 8 May, 2023, more than 6 million people enriched their communities by joining The Big Help Out, and even more are expected this year. Sign up here and help make a difference.
Happy Birthday, August!
August Philip Hawke Brooksbank is three on Friday. Nicknamed “Augie” by his mum, Princess Eugenie, and dad Jack Brooksbank, he is currently 12th in line of succession. In June 2022, Eugenie wrote about her firstborn and his great-granny: “I’d love Augie to have her [Queen Elizabeth II] patience, her calmness and her kindness, while always being able to laugh at himself and keep a twinkle in his eye.”
And finally, fancy a royal Range Rover?
It’s a dark sapphire blue motor with ivory leather interiors, and back in April 2016 Prince Philip drove President Obama, First Lady Michelle and The Queen to Windsor Castle, after picking up the Obamas from Marine One helicopter. Buy here.