It was like watching a scene from Mean Girls: the First Ladies of France and the United States holding hands, kissing and hugging during the 80th D-Day commemoration ceremony.
Quite a contrast to Queen Camilla, who, meeting the president and Brigitte Macron at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, took a rather more formal approach.
Brigitte gave her a friendly hand and Camilla withdrew her gloved paw rather quickly.
Besides, Camilla was there to comfort others, not rub shoulders: accept a white rose from a veteran, for example, and hug a small fan.
Queen Camilla’s emotions are etched on her face at a D-Day anniversary event last week, beneath a glorious Philip Treacy hat.
Princess Diana breaks down in tears during a visit to Ashworth Hospice in Liverpool in 1992.
The moment that sealed his new place in our hearts was when, listening to the veterans’ testimonies during the D-Day event, he was moved to tears. Her face wrinkled.
The reaction on social media was unanimous astonishment: “They’ve been through a lot together,” said one typical commentator.
‘How human are our King and Queen?’ asked another. “She was probably also thinking about his own father.”
Camilla’s hug to greet her stepson, Prince William, that day seemed warm and genuine. Another breach healed? I hope William is happy that his father is finally happy.
There is no doubt that Queen Camilla’s transformation has been subtle and slow.
The Queen’s outfits, once made up entirely of safe outerwear, have become more adventurous.
We saw white Anna Valentine in Normandy under a glorious white Philip Treacy hat that looked like a wedding cake.
And she wore Fiona Clare’s pink Barbie to the national commemorative event in Portsmouth, again with a stunning Philip Treacy hat, whose vivacity was reminiscent of the late Queen Mother, whose brooch she wore.
A woman once known for hunting and, well, relaxing has just launched a literary festival: the Queen’s Reading Room, which took place in the beautiful surroundings of Hampton Court earlier this week.
The star-studded line-up included Miriam Margolyes and author Kate Mosse. Eat your heart out, Hay, struck by controversy!
It says something that Camilla really was the best character to come out of Netflix’s The Crown: she’s never sorry for herself, never intrigues, just supportive and sometimes strict when it comes to Charles’ role as a father.
And remember this: She took on a new job when she was in her 70s, which is sure to be an inspiration to older women around the world.
One of Camilla’s sponsorships is Active Aging, Age UK’s initiative to inspire people to be active and happy in older age.
Certainly, Camilla’s official diary is crazy.
She campaigns against violence towards women, supports animal welfare (she recently announced she would no longer buy fur), gardening and the arts.
She always manages to seem interested, never bored or tired. Most importantly, she never overshadows King Charles, who clearly adores her.
Camilla was there to calm him down after Queen Elizabeth died, but she proved it wasn’t easy.
She was criticized for going on holiday in March while her husband was ill and with the company even more strained by Catherine’s absence.
When Diana died, it seemed inconceivable that anyone could replace her.
Camilla greets guests at Clarence House to celebrate the centenary of The Poppy Factory, which was set up to provide employment opportunities for soldiers wounded in the First World War.
As what would have been Diana’s 63rd birthday on July 1 approaches, I wonder how Camilla would have coped with someone so luminous at heart.
Diana is a tough act to follow, especially since her tragic early death has preserved her in memory in her swimsuit prime.
However, as Camilla sat and chatted with the veterans, her calmness reminded me of Diana. The ease, the accessibility, the empathy with moist eyes.
How Camilla withstood the years-ago comparisons and ridicule when Diana died (and in the time since) I will never know.
Can you imagine being named as the third wheel of a marriage on national television? She has never retaliated.
With royal protocol prohibiting him from marrying the love of his life, wouldn’t it have been natural to feel a little bitter about having wasted so many years?
Not a bit of that. Camilla accepted her fate, so rare in an era of whiny Minnies, and now she seems to be taking advantage of every opportunity to prove that she is worthy of both her husband and her title.
She is not the “little woman” and she is no longer the “other woman.” Camilla is taking being Queen in her stride.
