LIFESTYLE NEWS - Sitting in the sun-dappled glory of an old mansion which serves as the officers’ mess at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire, the Duchess of Cornwall kicks off her shoes.
Camilla has spent the morning handing out awards at a graduation day parade for young cadets. She will go on to meet several hundred more officers and their families personally at a reception before the day is out.
‘Sorry, I’ve just had my shoes off,’ she confessed when we bumped into each other shortly afterwards. ‘But I’ve got a Coca-Cola to revive me.’
Are you a ‘full-fat’ or ‘diet’ lady? ‘Oh full-fat. Forget anything diet. I want the full kick!’
And no wonder
While most women her age – she marks the milestone of turning 70 today – might favour pottering in their gardens and relaxing in front of the telly, Camilla’s workload is heavier than ever.
One drawback to this unwavering duty, she once confided in me, is that she wishes she could see more of her five grandchildren, by her son Tom Parker Bowles and daughter Laura Lopes.
‘I would like to have more time with them but, you know, it’s the nature of the beast. I can’t. But every given opportunity, I see them.’
There have been reports that Charles, too, would like to spend more days with his grandchildren by William and Kate: the amount of time he spends with them has been the subject of intense speculation.
The trouble is that the couple’s official duties mean that opportunities for Camilla to kick off her shoes more regularly are, increasingly, few and far between.
