How the Duchess of Cornwall won at ‘effortless glamour’
Not one to make a fuss, Camilla has nailed her royal look with style, dignity and a sense of humour. By Melissa Twigg and Sonia Haria
At 57, the Duchess of Cornwall was undeniably middle-aged when she joined the Firm. That put her at odds with all the other royal women who were either born a Windsor or who married into the family in their 20s.
It is almost tempting to feel sorry for her. After all, most of us would rather be photographed on a royal tour or on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the first flush of youth. But those who know Camilla have said her age played in her favour. Because of it, she was never expected to appear on the front page of multiple fashion magazines or to regularly wear and publicise British brands. Being nearly 60 when she became the King’s consort meant she was rarely compared with the impossibly glamorous Diana or even her railthin step daughters-in-law.
Instead, the Duchess of Cornwall was free to choose her own path when it came to fashion and beauty. This has resulted in a uniform of sorts, largely ice-cream coloured, neutral or pastel coats worn with a matching shift dress underneath and a few fabulous accessories in the form of a Philip Treacy hat, colourful gloves or even a great pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses.
Now, at 74, Camilla is clearly comfortable with her role, staying true to her trusty couturiers – Dior, Anna Valentine, Bruce Oldfield, Roy Allen and, of course, Fiona Clare – but she has also played with increasingly fashionable looks: pinafores, ruffles and the occasional burst of leopard print. A particularly favourite of mine is the lemon, flamenco-ruffled dress she wore for the 2016 wedding of Lady Charlotte Wellesley and Alejandro Santo Domingo, making her one of the best dressed guests at the society event of the year.
All of this is done with her customary laid-back confidence – and a smile and a nod to the royal photographers. These photographers will usually say that she is their favourite Windsor because of how relaxed she is, and the way she always stops for a moment so they can get a good shot (and to tell them to put on sunscreen on a hot day). In return, they will often take flattering pictures of her as she walks towards them with her customary amused expression and Farrah Fawcett blonde waves.
The fact the Duchess of Cornwall doesn’t seem to take any of it too seriously is also how she has managed to navigate an increasingly difficult balancing act when it comes to royal fashion. In this new more democratic century, the Windsors have had to work out how to keep looking suitably magisterial without picking outfits that appear overly remote; how to look sometimes imperial but never imperious. Kate achieves this by regularly wearing high-street designs, but Camilla pulls it off through her general demeanour – a combination of humour, style and a look in her eyes that says, “Please don’t make a fuss.”
Or, as her long-time hairdresser Jo Hansford explained: “The Duchess of Cornwall looks glamorous. But she doesn’t try to look glamorous – that’s not her thing at all.”