Queen Camilla Takes Her 78th Birthday Portrait in a Location That Holds a Very Special Meaning
Queen Camilla celebrated her 78th birthday with a stunning portrait taken at her private residence, the Raymill House in Wiltshire. The Queen Consort radiated grace as she smiled for the camera, bathed in sunlight and dressed in a chic animal-print dress. The royal family shared two beautiful portraits of Camilla in the same outfit—one released the day before her birthday, and the other on the day itself. What surprised many, however, was her choice of Raymill for the photoshoot, rather than Clarence House, where she lives with King Charles.
Raymill holds special significance as Camilla's 'post-divorce' home. As reported by Woman & Home, it is just fifteen minutes from Charles' beloved Highgrove House and remains a completely separate residence from the rest of the royal family. Camilla purchased the 17-acre country retreat following her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles in 1994. At the time, she reportedly paid £850,000 (now around $1,100,000) for the countryside bolthole, which features a range of luxurious amenities including an outdoor swimming pool, a terrace, stables, and plush gardens.
While her unexpected choice of location raised a few eyebrows, the Queen Consort had a meaningful reason behind it. Royal expert Jennie Bond told OK! magazine that Camilla considers her private retreat as her 'sanity valve.' She explained, "She has her own house where she can put her muddy Wellington boots on and a pair of old jeans and and romp around the garden with her grandchildren or just on her own, and just have some peace and calm and quiet." Bond opined that it was important to remember that the Queen "has a history, she has a family, she has an independent life and has kept some of that, albeit a very small part, to herself."
Raymill estate holds a very emotional place in Camilla's heart, also for another reason. As per Hello! magazine, after the death of Queen Elizabeth, Camilla escaped to the estate to seek solace during the period of mourning. In September 2022, after the funeral of the Queen, the newly-declared King and Queen Consort left London by helicopter. Charles went to Highgrove, while Camilla chose to return to her private residence. Raymill also served as the picturesque backdrop for her 75th birthday portrait, captured by Chris Jackson. Moreover, it was also in the same gardens that Kate Middleton captured Camilla’s cover photo for her guest-edited issue of Country Life in 2022.
As for Camilla's 78th birthday, she received one of the most prestigious gifts from Charles. According to the New York Post, the monarch formally bestowed upon his wife the coveted title of Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom on Wednesday, just a day before her special day. She marked a major milestone as the first woman ever to hold the title, which can only be granted by a reigning sovereign. Palace insiders also revealed that an intimate dinner was planned for the King and Queen on Thursday, with a larger celebration scheduled for the weekend.