Queen Camilla Shares the Humorous Habit of King Charles That's "Off-Putting" to Her Evening Routine
Charles and Camilla have been married for twenty-one years, and their bond has only grown deeper with time.
Queen Camilla has recorded a special segment titled "The Book That Changed My Life," featuring four individuals discussing the most influential books in their lives. Scheduled to air on BBC Two and iPlayer on 14th October at 9 pm, the feature was previewed in a short clip shared on the Royal Family's official X account, in which the Queen shared a humorous personal anecdote about her evening routine with King Charles.
Camilla and Charles are passionate bibliophiles who share a quiet evening routine before dinner. "My husband and I actually read before dinner. We just like sitting quietly and reading. I occasionally, when I'm deep in a book, hear him roaring with laughter about something. It's very off-putting," she shared amusingly. "I can't get back into my book. Or I'll suddenly start weeping, but it's a lovely, quiet time. I think it would be a complete and utter tragedy if books went forever," she added. The Queen also revealed that the King has a particular fondness for reading biographies, The Independent reported.
In the program, the Queen explores the "transformative power" of literature alongside four individuals whose lives have been significantly impacted by reading. She described the experience as an "unusual book club meeting" and emphasized that reading is "the best tonic in the world." Reflecting on her childhood, Camilla credits her father reading aloud to her and her siblings as the foundation of her passion for literature, GB News reported.
Speaking to their undeniable connection, royal author Catherine Mayer's book, Divide & Rule, highlights the transformative bond between Their Majesties, describing it as a "magical effect" that is obvious to anyone who sees them together. "You would see him tired, very obviously out of sorts. And then she would come into a room, and he would light up. She just lifts him," Mayer noted of their bond.
The pair first met in 1970 at a polo match and dated for two years before Charles left to serve in the Royal Navy. By the time he returned in 1976, Camilla was married to Andrew Parker Bowles, and Charles later married Princess Diana. Following Diana's death in August 1997, the couple made their first official public appearance together at the Ritz Hotel in London. Since then, the King has viewed Queen Camilla's role in his life as 'non-negotiable.' "He understood that this was the one woman who could really sustain him. And I think he felt the need for that kind of support, and Camilla has clearly always been prepared to do that," Mayer concluded, Marie Claire magazine reported.
