Back home, Camilla, Charles and a very royal cushion ...
HER hair anything but perfectly coiffed and exhaustion etched on her face, the Duchess of Cornwall was showing signs of strain yesterday amid her hectic schedule.
Camilla, 70, and her husband Prince Charles, 69, were pictured arriving by helicopter in the grounds of Kensington Palace, which has a dedicated landing strip, before being driven back to their official London residence, Clarence House.
The couple were on a busy tour on behalf of the Government to France and Greece last week and with no let-up in their diaries – engagements most days this week followed by the royal wedding on Saturday – it was little wonder that the duchess was looking somewhat puffed.
As the exhausted royal party left the helicopter, members of their staff and one of their Scotland Yard bodyguards were photographed carrying three cushions and loading them into the car.
The cushions – two well-worn tartans ones and a new blue velvet one with the letters MP embroidered on it – are taken by the couple wherever they go as they both have problems with their backs.
Charles, in particular, suffers from chronic lower back pain as a result of a number of debilitating polo injuries in the past.
Last night Camilla was attending an NHS Heroes awards ceremony, while Charles had a meeting with the President of Turkey and a private charity dinner.