Queen Camilla revealed she is taking part in ‘Silver Swans’ dance classes for seniors during a visit to the National English Ballet in east London today.
The Queen, 77, who is a patron of the organisation, shared that she is not only a fan of dance “in any form” but also dabbles in ballet, as she gave a short speech to mark the company’s 75th anniversary.
However, after being dazzled by the dancers’ rehearsals, she joked: “The ladies of today would rather make a fool of me.”
Organised by the Royal Academy of Dance, Silver Swans are dance classes specially designed for older people.
The royal had braved wet weather to join rehearsals at the Mulryan Centre for Dance on the Leamouth Peninsula, near Canning Town station, in what was her first visit since becoming a patron.
Queen Camilla pictured with English National Ballet Artistic Director Aaron S. Watkin
The Queen and English National Ballet President Sir Rupert Gavin look on as a ballerina rehearses in the studio.
Once freed from her umbrella, she was greeted by Sir Rupert Gavin, president of the English National Ballet, and introduced to artistic director Aaron S. Watkin.
Dressed in a pale blue silk shirt dress by London designer Anna Valentine, Queen Camilla accessorized her outfit with a gold and red brooch.
She wore several gold and silver bracelets on her right wrist, as well as what appeared to be a royal blue woven friendship bracelet on her left wrist.
The Queen, who stressed how “proud” she was to be a patron of the English National Ballet, completed her look with a pair of round-toed pumps in cream and black.
In an informal speech delivered in front of a huge birthday cake to celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary, she said: “I love ballet. In any form, I love dance.”
Explaining that she is also a patron of ballet schools, she added: “I do a bit of Silver Swans myself. Girls today prefer to outdo me. I love it.”
“It is very exciting to be able to say that I am a patron.”
Queen Camilla wished the ballet company “a very happy 75th birthday” and said: “I look forward to seeing you all a lot more in the future. Enjoy the cake.”
Dressed in a pale blue gown by London designer Anna Valentine, the Queen appeared to be mesmerised by the dancer’s movements.
During her visit, the Queen watched in admiration as a dancer rehearsed in a studio and also met members of staff.
She was also treated to what appeared to be a dress rehearsal, with a couple of dancers performing impressive lifts.
English National Ballet performs throughout the UK and internationally, bringing world-class ballet to the widest possible audiences.
Earlier this week, Queen Camilla spoke of the “joy” that reading can bring to children as she hosted an event to celebrate the 70th anniversary of a leading UK book charity.
Around 100 guests attended Book Aid International’s anniversary reception at St James’s Palace in London, including the charity’s chairman, Nigel Newton, and Lady Caroline Simmonds, the daughter of its founder.
Camilla has been a patron of the charity since 2022 and set up her own online book club during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.
Book Aid International has sent more than 37 million books to schools, libraries, prisons and refugee camps around the world since it was founded in 1954.
In an impromptu speech after speaking individually to guests, Camilla recounted the “big, big difference” that accessibility to books is making in people’s lives.
Queen Camilla also met staff during her visit to the Mulryan Centre for Dance on the Leamouth Peninsula, near Canning Town station, where the English National Ballet is based.
Smiling, the Queen, a lover of dance “in all its forms” and also a practitioner, greeted the members of the organization.
She said: “I wasn’t really expecting to be speaking tonight. There’s not much more I can say except to say a huge thank you to everyone who supports Book Aid.
‘I have visited many countries on my travels and have been in libraries that have received financial support, and I have seen the joy on the faces of the children when they receive these books.
“And if we can continue to do this across the world, we’re going to make a massive difference to the number of people reading books and to children’s access to books. And that’s really thanks to Book Aid and everyone here who’s made it possible. So thank you so much.”
The Queen looked elegant in a striking green dress with a peacock feather print for the reception.
The charity was founded in 1954 by the Countess of Ranfurly as a library for local Bahamian children after she visited the island nation with her husband, who was its governor, and was “shocked” by the lack of reading material available.
This book programme was extended to the Commonwealth from 1956 under the name Ranfurly Library Service and was renamed Book Aid International in 1994.
Lord Boateng, deputy patron of Book Aid International, said access to Lady Ranfurly’s library had “changed my life”.
“Book Aid International, then Countess Ranfurly’s Library Trust, changed my life,” she told the audience.
Queen Camilla accessorized her pale blue shirt dress with a gold and red brooch and wore what appeared to be a friendship bracelet on her left wrist.
As patron of the English National Ballet, she wished the company a very happy 75th birthday and told them to enjoy their cake.
‘I was a child growing up in the Gold Coast, which later became Ghana, and Book Aid International provided the books and trained the librarians for the first children’s library in sub-Saharan Africa. I went to that library when I was six or seven and it changed my life.’
The Labour MP said the books “supported aspirations” and gave children “a sense of the possibilities” available to them.
Prince Philip, as Duke of Edinburgh, was Royal Patron of Book Aid International from 1966 until his death in 2021.
Poet and novelist Sir Ben Okri, who was invited to the reception as one of the charity’s main patrons, said books help “feed people’s minds, nourish their spirits, encourage them, open up possibilities, deepen their thinking and free them from stress and fear.”
He said: ‘The Queen is one of the great evangelists for the power of books and the power of reading. And it’s a very special thing because it’s not normally a very glamorous field – books are very private things, you read them alone.
He enjoyed an informal chat with artistic director Aaron S. Watkin during his visit.
“And for the Queen to champion what reading can do is absolutely amazing and invaluable for our times.”
Other guests at the hour-long event included broadcaster David Dimbleby, actor Neil Pearson, author Ken Follet and editor Sigrid Rausing.
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