Duchess of Cornwall chic in royal blue in new portrait released to mark 73rd birthday
The Duchess of Cornwall has worn her wedding dress designer for a portrait to mark her 73rd birthday.
Camilla, who turns 73 on Friday, wore a blue silk linen Anna Valentine dress for the photograph, taken in the garden of Clarence House earlier this week.
Anna Valentine, previously known as Robertson Valentine, is the designer Camilla chose for her wedding to Prince Charles in 2005.
On Friday morning, Clarence House shared a bonus photo on Instagram to thank fans for their birthday wishes.
In the full length shot, likely taken the same day, Camilla stands in front of a fountain in the garden.
Camilla was born 17 July 1947, in London, to parents Major Bruce Shand and Rosalind.
Through lockdown she has worked from home along with the rest of the Royal Family, her engagements being carried out via video link and phone.
She and Charles, 71, were among the first royals to return to public duties in person, thanking NHS staff at a hospital in Gloucestershire and carrying out a diplomatic visit with President Emmanuel Macron.
Charles tested positive with coronavirus in March, but Camilla did not catch the disease.
She isolated for 14 days after his positive result.
Speaking about life in lockdown, the duchess confessed she was enjoying being in her jeans more often, usually having to keep to a more formal approach.
She told Radio 5’s Emma Barnett show: “I’ve been very, very happy with my jeans. It will be very hard to get out of them again. I think you get into a sort of way of life, don’t you?”
She also confessed to being a Zoom granny and talked about winning a game she played against some of her grandchildren via House Party.
Camilla and Charles marked their 15th wedding anniversary in lockdown too, sharing a new image of them with her dogs, Bluebell and Beth, who were both adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
The duchess has proved her worth to the Royal Family, and is known for her dry wit and candid photographic moments.
Read more: 100 things the Royal Family has done in 100 days of lockdown
At a recent engagement, she said she has no plans to retire, and has previously praised Charles for his work ethic.
Her 73rd birthday will probably be marked quietly, though the relaxation of restrictions means she will have more options as she celebrates her big day than other royals who have had birthdays in full lockdown.
For her 70th birthday, Charles threw her a garden reception at Clarence House, with guests including Darcey Bussell, Dame Esther Rantzen, Joanna Lumley and Paul O’Grady.
