Queen Camilla is approaching a milestone birthday with her trademark humor. A longtime royal friend says she isn’t making a fuss about turning 80 next year. Instead, the queen reportedly answered the reminder with a lighthearted three-word response that reflects her practical outlook on aging and royal life.
Gyles Brandreth recalls Queen Camilla’s reaction to her approaching 80th birthday
Royal author and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth recently shared a glimpse into Queen Camilla’s attitude toward growing older, revealing to Hello that she responded with a dry sense of humor when he mentioned her 80th birthday, which falls on July 17 next year.
According to Brandreth, Camilla’s immediate reaction was simple: “Thank you for reminding me.” He said the remark came with a facial expression that suggested she would rather not dwell on the milestone, even as people around her increasingly bring it up.
Brandreth also said the king and queen are showing little sign of slowing down despite their ages. In his view, many people begin easing off at this stage of life, but Charles and Camilla have instead “quicken the pace” of their public duties. He added that Camilla never appears reluctant about the workload and simply carries on with it.
While birthdays themselves are not especially significant to her, Brandreth said family remains at the center of Camilla’s personal celebrations. He also recalled congratulating her on how well recent years had gone, only for the queen to brush it aside with another, “Well, on we go.”
Camilla celebrated her 79th birthday on July 17, with the royal family marking the occasion by releasing a new portrait taken at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. She wore the late Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond-and-sapphire butterfly brooch alongside a blue dress. The palace also announced a literacy initiative that will gift a special edition of Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures to every Year 6 and Primary 6 pupil across the U.K. this Christmas (via OK).
Earlier this month, Camilla also reflected on aging while speaking at the Royal Osteoporosis Society’s 40th anniversary. Calling osteoporosis a “silent thief,” she expressed hope that future generations would benefit from new treatments before joking about the future, adding, “Not sure I’ll be here.”
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on Mandatory.
