Camilla by Angela Levin

Author:Angela Levin [Levin, Angela]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Published: 2022-09-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15 WORKING WIDER

The duties of senior royals are wide-ranging as they represent both themselves and the Queen. Camilla is always deferential to Her Majesty, despite her early efforts to block her relationship with Charles, and takes a step back out of respect when they are on a royal engagement together. The Queen has, in turn over recent years, handed over many patronages to Camilla, when they have become too much to manage. There are also foreign tours to cope with, meeting visiting heads of state, occasions like the State Opening of Parliament, hosting parties and receptions galore. There is a lot of standing and, when Charles and Camilla are abroad, they have to cope with different time zones and weather.

Closer to home they can’t pick up any cause; they are expected to find something they genuinely care about and research it thoroughly so when they talk publicly, they can say something meaningful and make an impact. For example, if it’s something delicate, like domestic violence, it is important to understand the experiences of the victims and the context of what happened before venturing out and addressing the public.

Camilla has chosen a wide range of charities that include health, literacy, supporting those in need, the elderly, victims of rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence, empowering women, food, animals, dance, heritage and the arts. When a charity’s focus is rather sensitive, or a subject people would rather not talk about, she gives them a platform that will help reveal the issues. She declines charities she isn’t drawn to or when she feels she can’t make a difference.

The broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen, founder of two charities, hugely admires Camilla: ‘I think she has done a brilliant job of finding things that she really cares about and that really matter without treading on Prince Charles’s feet. She is a strong woman but there is also softness there. Sometimes the story she hears is so heartbreaking that she cries. Hers is not an easy job; it can be very intense and draining when people talk to her because they trust her to know about their suffering. It’s a good thing that she and Prince Charles support each other.

‘She also gives her support to charities that help family relationships, understanding how hard it is to be lonely and how different it is to feel you are part of a team. Prince Charles has been transformed by having her support him, help calm his distress and accept him for who he is.’

Camilla has gradually become more comfortable with being the centre of attraction, when she’s making a positive impact on something she wants to highlight. Amanda MacManus explains: ‘Her Royal Highness has taken on so much. She’s usually quite careful not to push herself forward but she seems to do more and more with Prince Charles, and in a sort of non-stop way like him as he never stops working. I think the more she continues to work with causes where she’s making a difference, and that she really cares about, the more satisfaction the job will give her.

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