ROOM WITH A VIEW
Inside Camilla’s sitting room with candid family snaps and a painting of young Prince Charles pride of place
THE Duchess of Cornwall gave a rare peek into her sitting room at Birkhall as she shared a snap of herself supporting the elderly amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Camilla, 72, is isolating with Prince Charles at their Scottish home, Birkhall, where the pair have been sending messages of support via phonecalls and video clips.
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The Duchess, who’s a patron of The Silver Line, was chatting with 90-year-old Betty about how she’s coping with the lockdown.
Sharing the image on , Clarence House said: “The Duchess of Cornwall has chatted with 90-year-old Betty from Hampshire to see how she was coping at this difficult time.
“Dame Esther Rantzen, founder of @TheSilverLineUK, also joined the call. HRH first spoke to Betty when visiting the charity’s headquarters in 2017.”
Camilla said it was a “huge pleasure” to catch up with Betty, as she chatted with her dog, Beth, in her lap.
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While she shared a message earlier this week from her study, this time Camilla was in her sitting room at the sprawling country pile.
The room is dotted with family photos and a painting of Prince Charles, and is filled with colourful rugs, tapestries and throws.
We've selected seven key items from the Duchess' room and explained their background to give an insight into her home at Birkhall.
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1 Man's best friend
The Duchess was snapped chatting on the phone with one of her beloved dogs, Beth, in her lap.
The pooch is one of two Jack Russell's she rescued from Battersea Dogs and Cats home, with the other called Bluebell.
Camilla is very fond of her dogs - much like her mother-in-law - previously telling Paul O’Grady: “I love Jack Russells, they are such intelligent dogs.
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“Beth is the sweetest dog with the nicest temperament, she so laid-back.
“Bluebell is much more feisty but lots of fun. She seems to think she is a lot bigger than she actually and is a bit of a toughie.
“They are very happy and love each other, though, which is the main thing.”
It’s not the first time Camilla has posed with Beth, after she and Prince Charles recently shared a snap of themselves with their dogs at Birkhall.
2 Snap happy
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On top of a desk in the background is an easel, containing two photographs.
The main framed image is of Camilla’s late brother, Mark Shand, who died in 2014.
Mark was the chairman of the wildlife foundation, the Elephant Family, and the snap shows him carrying a giant Humpty Dumpty as part of the Big Egg Hunt in 2012, which raised money for the organisation.
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The 2.5ft egg was placed outside Prince Charles and Camilla’s London home, Clarence House.
Mark said at the time: “I think it is a first that Humpty Dumpty has sat on a wall outside a palace.
“There is the added cache they both signed it as well."
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Inside the frame another photograph has been wedged in, showing Camilla with her five grandchildren from her first marriage.
Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973, and they had two children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes.
Laura has three children, Eliza, and twins Gus and Louis, while Tom has two children, Lola and Freddy.
3 Oil say
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Next to the family photo is a portrait of Prince Charles, in a prominent position on the desk which is littered with papers.
The portrait, in front of a very dramatic tapestry, is in a golden frame and also propped up on an easel.
It shows Prince Charles, 71, in his younger years, and judging by his khaki outfit and binocular string around his neck, it could date from his 1980 trip to Nepal.
The artist is unknown, but it could be the royal himself, as Prince Charles is known to paint, although he’s said to prefer landscapes.
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4 Throw down
Folded neatly behind Camilla’s chair is an intricate throw, decorated with an insect pattern, likely a bee.
The Duchess led a campaign to save the British bees last year, and installed nine beehives in the gardens of Ray Mill.
She bought the Grade II-listed house in Wiltshire, and kept it after her marriage to Prince Charles.
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5 Tip-tap condition
Behind Camilla is an extravagant tapestry, although the subject is unclear, however it looks as if it takes up the space of the entire wall.
The royal family have a wealth of detailed tapestries dotted around their palaces and private homes.
Prince Charles is a fan of preserving historical properties and works of art, and stepped in to save Dumfries House in 2007, and it’s the primary headquarters for the Prince’s new network of charities, The Prince’s Foundation.
The Scottish country house features a Tapestry Room, featuring works including 18th-century Flemish masterpieces.
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6 Wed you believe
In another frame Camilla has a snap from Laura’s wedding, showing the mother-and-daughter beaming at the camera.
Laura married Harry Lopes in 2006 at St Cyriac's Church in Wiltshire, where Princes William and Harry - and Kate Middleton - were guests.
The mother-of-the-bride wore a grey pleated dress with a cream floral hat for the ceremony, designed by Anna Valentine, who also designed Camilla’s outfit for her wedding to Prince Charles the year before.
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7 Nuts about you
Just in front of the photo is a charming ornament of a squirrel, wearing a pair of glasses.
It seems animal figures are a theme at Birkhall, with a snap of Prince Charles’ study revealing ornaments of chickens.
Prince Charles is said to be a great fan of the red squirrel, an endangered species, and is said to let them inside his home at Balmoral.
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