Queen Camilla welcomed children with life-limiting conditions and their families to Clarence House to meet Santa Claus and help decorate a Christmas tree in the library.
Every year, the royal, 77, invites children supported by two of her charities, Helen & Douglas House and Roald Dahl’s Marvelous Children’s Charity, to a very special party at the King and Queen’s official residence in London.
At this year’s reunion on Wednesday, Camilla looked elegant in a long-sleeved navy suede dress which she paired with black boots.
During the event, which has become a long-standing festive tradition, the Queen chatted to children, decorated a Christmas tree and handed out beautifully wrapped gifts.
Guests enjoyed a Christmas performance by the Rifle Band and Buglers before joining the Queen for a lunch of bangers and mash.
The Queen told a family she was looking forward to the end of 2024, which has proven to be a huge challenge for the royal family due to the health problems of King Charles and the Princess of Wales.
Marie Verney, 48, who attended with her daughters Katie, 17, and Faye, 12, who has complex medical needs, had a long chat with Her Majesty after she served him plates of sausages and mash in the shape of faces smiling and served him a spoonful of sauce. the plates of the eight young people invited to their annual festive lunch.
Marie, who was widowed when Faye was a baby, said of Camilla: “She was very understanding and understanding of people’s lives. And her life hasn’t been easy this year, has it?”
Queen Camilla welcomed children and families to Clarence House to meet Santa Claus and help decorate a Christmas tree.
Luckily, Santa told Her Majesty that she was definitely on his nice list this year when he greeted her and gave her a gift.
During the event, which has become a long-standing festive tradition, the Queen chatted with children, decorated a Christmas tree and handed out beautifully wrapped gifts.
“He said he would love to make it to the end of the year and I think a lot of families here feel that way too,” Marie added.
‘So there was that mutual understanding, but also, she’s a fun grandmother. She herself talked about her granddaughters because they are 17 years old, like Katie. She is a down to earth lady and put us at ease.
“For me it was like she was like a grandmother: she worried, but she also had fun: she’s mischievous.”
‘She said to Katie, do you have a drink? It had elderflower. She said: ‘Surely you want champagne?’ Katie said yes.
“The next thing you knew he went to get Katie a glass of champagne and then he talked to Katie about driving and driving lessons, and then more serious things.”
Luckily, Santa told Her Majesty that she was definitely on his nice list this year when he greeted her and gave her a gift.
“Oh, hello Santa,” Camilla said. And a very Merry Christmas to you. ‘
“I’m pleased to tell you that you’re on the good list again this year,” he said, shaking her hand.
‘Oh, right?’ The Queen exclaimed. “Oh, I’m delighted.” Taking his gift, he said: ‘You are very kind. Thank you very much for coming.’
Among the children was five-year-old Lenny Willans-Jobson, one of only three children in the country to suffer from Fox G1, a life-limiting disease.
His mother, Kelly Johnson, sadly died in March and Lenny was accompanied by his stepmother, Natasha Wilkinson, from Middlesbrough.
The queen admired his “very elegant tuxedo and loafers,” causing Lenny to smile widely.
Camilla shook the hand of a little girl as she welcomed children and families supported by Helen & Douglas House and Roald Dahl’s Marvelous Children’s Charity, to decorate a Christmas tree.
The Queen chatted with children and handed out beautifully wrapped Christmas presents
The Queen admitted she was looking forward to the end of 2024 after what has been one of the most challenging years for the Royal Family due to Charles and Catherine’s cancer diagnoses.
Natasha said afterwards: ‘What an incredibly special day. I just can’t believe we’re here. He hasn’t stopped laughing and smiling. What a wonderful thing for her to have done for the children!’
Shailza Leaver gave the Queen’s equerry, Major Ollie Plunket, a very special ornament to hang on the tree with his sword.
It was a trinket that featured a photo of her son, Stanley, who died two years ago at the age of eight and a half from the same genetic and neurological condition suffered by her surviving son, 11-year-old Riley. The bauble also carried his name and date of birth.
The queen decided to tell Ollie to hang it carefully because it was very precious and he did so, placing it at the top of the tree.
She said: ‘Helen & Douglas House is like my second home, they are amazing. They wrap their arms around me and keep me whole.
‘When I lost Stanley, my worst-case scenario would have been him dying in a hospital intensive care unit covered in tubes. Instead, she slipped peacefully into my arms at Helen & Douglas.
‘We don’t know how much time we have with Riley. His condition has worsened in the last six months. But we want him to be happy. And being here with the Queen is truly a magical, magical memory. So special. ‘
Helen House was the world’s first children’s hospice when it opened in 1982 and Camilla became patron of Helen & Douglas House in 2007.
Helen & Douglas House cares for local terminally ill children and their families from Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties.
It provides medical, emotional and practical support, helping families cope with the implications of living with a child who will die prematurely, so they can make the most of their time together.
Meanwhile, Camilla has been a patron of Roald Dahl’s Marvelous Children’s Charity since 2017.
The charity provides specialist nurses who support seriously ill children living with complex and ongoing health conditions by providing personalized, personalized and holistic care.
During the holiday tradition, now in its 19th year, young children are treated like royalty for the day and help decorate the Christmas tree at the library.
For a very special gift, they received a visit not only from royalty but also from Santa Claus.
The festive event comes after the Queen revealed that the area, where her £850,0000 home in Wiltshire is understood to be located, was “under water” following devastating flooding caused by continuing storms.
While chatting to members of the Military Wives Choirs, who invited Charles and Camilla to a festive performance at Buckingham Palace, the royal recounted the damage, possibly referring to Storm Bert that hit the UK two weeks ago.
One woman revealed she is from Melksham, which faced severe flooding in November.
“It’s lovely,” Camilla replied. “The other day it flooded a little.” “It was very flooded,” the musician agreed.
“My house was under water,” the Queen said. ‘You’ve never seen anything like it. It was like a beach, you couldn’t see anything but a bunch of birds flying in the water.’
It is not clear if Camilla’s house suffered any damage or just the nearby region. The royal bought her mansion, Ray Mill House, in 1994. She lived there until 2005 and, after her marriage to then-Prince Charles, kept it as her country retreat.
Photographs taken inside the home in recent years certainly show that it reflects Camilla’s relaxed country roots.
While there is no doubting the grandeur of the dimensions of many of the rooms, the decor is understated and familiar, with yellow walls and floral curtains.
Luckily for Her Majesty, Santa told her she was definitely on his nice list this year when he greeted her and gave her a gift.
Queen Camilla shakes hands with a guest as she welcomes children and families to Clarence House
The kitchen, with a black aga, has yellow walls with red tiles and blue tiled floors, while the bedrooms are also simple, with simple white bedding.
Wiltshire, where the property is located, was one of the worst affected areas after Storm Bert brought 82mph winds, snow and a month of rain, leaving at least four people dead in its wake in November.
Weather warnings have also been issued this week in Wiltshire, as Storm Darragh continues to batter the UK.
The most recent storm brought strong gusts reaching 150km/h at Berry Head, Devon, and gales along the entire Irish Sea coast, extending eastwards inland.
A rare red weather alert has been issued for the west of England and Wales warning people not to go out unless essential and avoid road trips.