Queen Camilla is celebrating her 76th birthday today (July 17), in her first birthday since ascending to the throne as the Queen Consort of King Charles.
The couple’s Coronation on May 6 was a spectacular affair, with millions across the world tuning in to watch the royals be crowned in a majestic ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams shared his thoughts on the impressive impact Camilla has made since her royal promotion, as she has been able to shine an even greater spotlight on the causes that matter most to her.
He told Express.co.uk: “The Queen, as she approaches her birthday, will look back on a momentous year which twenty years ago would have seemed a fantasy.
“There is no doubt that she has handled her new role seamlessly and with dignity.”
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He continued: “Also her charitable work has been well handled, she supports a number of literacy charities, has done sterling work in aid of victims of rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence, has helped animal charities and, famously, has championed osteoporosis sufferers which have included members of her family.”
So far her time as Queen Consort may have been “uneventful”, in spite of the “seismic” Coronation, however, Mr Fitzwilliams noted that opinion polls have never been too “enthusiastic” about her.
Yet he claims it is necessary to go beyond these statistics to truly judge her popularity and what she means to the people of Great Britain today.
He explained: “When matters dealing with Diana are raised, as they will be in the next and thankfully final episodes of The Crown, it is unhelpful for her, but there are fewer strong feelings against her which there used to be.
“Harry’s personal attacks on her in his memoir Spare and when promoting it, have been widely regarded as a bad mistake. It would be accurate to say she is generally respected and she is also much liked by those who have met her.
“It is clear that she and King Charles are devoted to each other and she excels in a role that is both supporting and supportive.”
Last week Charles and Camilla delighted crowds as they arrived in St Ives in Cornwall, where they were able to explore the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden.
The Queen also made time for some causes important to her as she visited the Women’s Centre in Bodmin to meet with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Fighting abuse against women and girls has long been a focus for Camilla, who has been a supporter of the centre since 2009.
