Why Camilla’s the queen of royal knick-knacks and garden gnomes
GaRden gnomes, Jubilee china and a pair of rescued Jack Russells: if the Queen is the nation’s grandmother, Camilla, duchess of Cornwall, is its favourite auntie.
The gnomes in her Wiltshire acres were on show as cameras peeked around the flowerbeds for the first time, in Camilla’s Country Life (iTV).
Other botanic ornaments included a painted plaster tiger stalking a stoneware cockerel. What her husband, that lifelong environmentalist, thinks of such suburban touches, she didn’t say.
Camilla’s delight was unfeigned at a charity event in Manchester, as she pottered around and discovered a commemorative royal mug amid the books and jigsaws. ‘i have a whole collection, believe it or not,’ she announced, brandishing her trophy, manufactured to celebrate the Queen’s 70-year reign.
if it’s of any use, Your Royal Highness, i’ve got one from 1986 that commemorates the nuptials of Prince andrew and Sarah Ferguson. i could bundle it in bubble wrap and bung it in the post. it’ll look lovely on your sideboard.
Though she has the heart and soul of a stalwart in the Worcester Women’s institute, Camilla grew up in upper- class surrounds, at Hall Place, Hampshire. She
returned with younger sibling annabel to reminisce about childhood spats, such as the time she buried her sister’s teddy bear in the rose garden. ‘it still rankles to this day,’ grumbled annabel.
The house is now owned by retired PricewaterhouseCoopers partner Michael Langdon, who gave an inadvertent display of what royalty has to put up with.
Welcoming her to the country estate, he was all Ma’ams and bowing, like a downton butler. But he couldn’t resist an impertinence: ‘is it true that your grandmother lowered the floor so the servants couldn’t see out of the window?’
Camilla ground her teeth and dismissed the tale as nonsense. This incident might explain why, while guest-editing an edition of Country Life magazine, she chose the abrasive Jeremy Clarkson for one of her ‘Countryside Champions’.
Jezza pointed out that, when members of the public pester him, he can swear at them and demand to be left alone. They expect him to be boorish. How Camilla must sometimes long to do the same.
She did reveal her favourite relaxation is a dip in the sea. ‘after the initial horror of stepping in, you feel so much better when you come out . . . completely invigorated,’ she revealed, adding that she takes her cossie wherever she goes — ‘not that i can swim in many places’.
Wild swimming, as it is called, has become quite a TV fad, recommended by everyone from alice Roberts to Robson Green and Kate Humble, who does it nude. Camilla might be the ideal presenter for a series about its benefits — Splashing Out With The duchess.
at the other end of the social scale, rapper Big Zuu was making his acting debut in Sneakerhead (dave), a sitcom about a sportswear store. Hugo Chegwin stars as trainer salesman and dope smoker Russell, who becomes shop manager by accident, to the fury of his ambitious colleague Jemma, the brilliant Francesca Mills.
everyone takes advantage of Russell, from his pal Mulenga (Zuu) to his unfaithful girlfriend Clare (alexa davies), who dumps him, then takes him back on the promise of a trip to Selfridges.
Russell’s easily pleased. ‘not many are lucky enough to say they’ve got the shortest commute in Peterborough,’ he points out.
The three-part series continues tonight. it’s well worth a watch, if you don’t baulk at a few filthy jokes . . . and i’m sure the
duchess of Cornwall doesn’t.