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Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall had 'cooking disasters'

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, has had cooking disasters over the years credit:Bang Showbiz
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, has had cooking disasters over the years credit:Bang Showbiz

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is "not a natural baker".

The 74-year-old royal - who is married to Prince Charles and has children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes from her marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles - has never been an "adventurous" cook and admitted she's had numerous "cooking disasters" over the years.

She said: "I always cooked for the children growing up, and they were good eaters, but I was never the most adventurous of cooks. I was sent on a cooking course in Sussex when I was young but, really, I learnt from my mother. I've never followed a recipe in my life...

"I could fill a book with all my cooking disasters. I'm not a natural baker, to say the least. As for baked potatoes… many a poor, incinerated specimen has been found in the bottom of the Aga, put in, then forgotten about."

Despite the staff Camilla and Charles have at their Highgrove home, the duchess likes to cook for herself and she and her husband are "quite competitive" when it comes to growing their own produce.

Speaking to her son Tom for You magazine, she said: "I do still cook for myself when at home. Simple things like fish en papillote with butter and herbs. And vegetables from the garden: kale, purple sprouting broccoli, carrots, courgettes, and lots of peas and beans because they freeze so well.

"I love the vegetable garden, and summer in particular. I'm very proud of my white peaches. My husband is an excellent gardener, and we're quite competitive about our fruit and vegetables."

Camilla also revealed she's got a secret love of beans on toast.

She said: "One of my favourite foods is baked beans on toast. Always Heinz. And freshly cooked fish and chips, wrapped in paper. That smell. You cannot beat proper fish and chips."

And the duchess knows what she'd like to have for her final ever meal.

She said: "My last supper would probably involve my own asparagus, with lots of butter. Angela Hartnett's risotto. I love her cooking. Dover sole meunière, with ratte potatoes and fresh broad beans and peas from the garden.

"Some bitter chocolate ice cream. Plus strawberries and raspberries and lots of clotted cream.

"Along with a really good glass of red claret. And, seeing it's my last supper, probably two."