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Camilla Vacations on Billionaire’s Yacht in Greece Without Charles — People Say It's 'Not a Good Look'

Queen Camilla recently faced the public's wrath after being photographed cruising solo, without King Charles, on a billionaire’s superyacht. On August 8, the Queen Consort was spotted enjoying a lavish holiday in Greece aboard the $38 million vessel owned by Tory donor Wafic Said. With the royal family expected to remain strictly apolitical, critics slammed her choice to ride the yacht as tasteless and tone-deaf. The timing fueled further backlash, coming just days after Charles publicly scaled back on royal extravagance to save taxpayer money.

Camilla was spotted aboard superyacht Zenobia while visiting some of the Mediterranean country’s most exclusive tourist hotspots. Her photos were published by the Daily Mirror, which reported that neither Charles nor Said were on the boat with her. Said, who helped arrange the multi-billion-pound Al Yamamah arms deal between Saudi Arabia and the UK in the mid-1980s, remains a controversial figure. The deal came under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office, though the inquiry was halted in 2006. The outlet noted that while the Queen Consort’s private vacation is not wrong, accepting hospitality from someone so politically influential sends the wrong message, especially when British people are struggling with the rising cost of living.

After photos of Camilla's luxury vacation made their rounds on X (formerly Twitter), royal watchers had a lot to say. A critic slammed, "Grifting off of the taxpayer whilst accepting favors from the billionaire elites who obviously expect nothing in return." In a similar vein, another echoed, "Camilla left her cancer-stricken husband behind to enjoy a freebie yacht with said 'profile of a younger man' that nobody knows who he is." A netizen penned, "She is supposed to be neutral when it comes to politics, and taking favors from a Tory donor is a terrible look."

The Queen Consort's holiday also comes just a month after Charles announced that he would be retiring the royal train in 2027 to cut back on royal expenditure. Former Liberal Democrat minister Norman Baker slammed Camilla's decision and said, "Members of the royal family really ought to consider the public perception of such episodes, whether they are on holiday or official business....This is not a good look for Camilla, especially when the relationships between the royals and their associates are rightly called into question." 

As reported by the Royal Insider, after the backlash, Said defended his decision to lend his superyacht to Camilla. He said, "It is natural for me to offer my boat to close friends when I am not using it. I was therefore pleased to offer it to the family and glad to learn she is enjoying time with her children and grandchildren." The 57-metre-long Zenobia superyacht features six luxury cabins for 12 guests, room for a crew of 13, a cinema, library, and outdoor dining decks.