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News.com.au
7 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
King Charles gives Camilla ‘unprecedented' new royal title for 78th birthday
King Charles marked his wife Queen Camilla's 78th birthday by honouring her with a shiny new royal title. The monarch, 76, formally bestowed the coveted title of Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom to his wife Wednesday — just one day before her special day. The move is an unprecedented one, as Her Majesty now becomes the first woman to hold the title, which can only be appointed by a sovereign. The honorary title must first be nominated by the First Sea Lord, a post currently held by Sir Gwyn Jenkins. Jenkins said the queen's new role will 'further enhance Her Majesty's relationship with the Service.' 'We are honoured to welcome Her Majesty The Queen to HM Naval Base Devonport,' he said in an official statement Wednesday. 'Her Majesty's visit has been a tremendous boost to morale, and the honorary appointment reflects the high regard in which Her Majesty is held by all of us.' It's not the first royal title Camilla has received from her devoted husband. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, Charles famously named his wife the Queen Consort — making her the first in more than eight decades. His Majesty took it a step further in the months that followed, as he issued a Royal Warrant to change Camilla's title to 'Queen Camilla.' The change took place in time for their joint coronation on May 6, 2023. The queen's new title is sure to have made her birthday doubly special. Camilla is celebrating her 78th birthday privately, The Post is told. Palace insiders tell us that an intimate dinner has been planned for Their Majesties Thursday, with a larger celebration being slated for this weekend. On Thursday, the royal family's official social media accounts shared a photo of the queen in honour of her special day. 'Thank you for the wonderful well wishes on Her Majesty's 78th birthday today!,' the royal account wrote on X. The sweet birthday wish was soon reposted by Prince William and Princess Catherine's official account. 'Happy Birthday to Her Majesty!,' the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote on X. Buckingham Palace's celebratory post was accompanied by a new image of the queen, which was taken at Raymill, her private residence in Wiltshire, England. The snap, captured by royal photographer Chris Jackson earlier this month, shows Camilla leaning against a metal fence post in a grassy field. The royal opted for a teal button-up blouse for the occasion, which she teamed up with a pair of gold hoop earrings and a Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra bracelet. The royal account uploaded another snap on X of the queen that was taken during the same photo shoot, which shows her sitting on a rattan chair while reading a book. 'Thank you for the wonderful well wishes on Her Majesty's 78th birthday today!,' read the follow-up post.
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Queen Camilla shakes hand of adorable little boy on board HMS Astute after becoming first UK woman to hold top Naval role
Queen Camilla appeared in high spirits as she attended a garden party at HMNB Devonport on Wednesday to honour her new position as Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom. The royal, 77, attended the event in Plymouth, which marked the end of HMS Astute's first commission, which is the longest first commission of any Royal Navy submarine in history, at over 15 years. Camilla - who has become the first female Vice Admiral of the UK - put her best fashion foot forward in a sapphire pleated blue dress which fell elegantly to her ankles and paired the stunning ensemble with her trusty nude and black heels, pearl earrings and a classy gold brooch. It is one of the Queen's favourite hues to wear to royal events and she has proudly sported the colour this week at Battersea Dogs' and Cats' Home on Monday. During her visit, Camilla beamed as she inspected a guard of honour and was given a tour around the grounds by navy personnel. She also adorably bent down to shake hands with a smartly dressed young boy, who is thought to be a sailor's son. The Queen seemed pleasantly surprised when she was presented with an Admiral's Burgee by Rear Admiral Andy Perks, head of the submarine service, to mark her being made a vice admiral and recognise her ongoing support for the Royal Navy. The First Sea Lord said '... the honorary appointment reflects the high regard in which Her Majesty is held by all of us.' General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said the honorary role would 'further enhance Her Majesty's relationship with the service'. To commemorate her special visit, she was also gifted a bunch of flowers and a golden cling film holder which had printed on the side: 'First of Class, Second to None,' along with an HMS Astute plaque. After a week of sunshine and a heatwave, Plymouth was hit with grey skies and drizzle, but the Queen refused to let the weather rain on her parade. She instead came prepared, holding up a translucent umbrella to ensure her signature platinum blonde blow-dry remained perfectly intact. The honorary vice admiral role, which dates back to the mid-16th Century, will include the formal presentation of a burgee, or pennant, by Rear Admiral Andy Perks, head of the submarine service, recognising the Queen's ongoing support for the Royal Navy. Sir Gwyn, who is a Royal Marine, met Camilla on Tuesday when she was installed as an honorary freeman and liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, an organisation associated with the Royal Marines. He said during the City of London event: 'We're super proud of Her Majesty's role with HMS Astute, as are the crew, it really matters a lot to us as a Navy and to them as a crew that it's the Queen's submarine.' The Queen joked to him about not wanting to serve on a submarine and the head of the Royal Navy said afterwards: 'I think we would all recognise that being a submariner is a very special skill set, you have to be really committed to the role and what you do for the country. 'It can be phenomenally rewarding, it's an amazing sense of teamwork onboard, but it's not for everyone.' HMS Astute will undergo a major overhaul at Devonport naval base to allow her to continue patrols safeguarding the UK's interests for years to come. Commander Christopher Bate, commanding officer of the hunter-killer submarine, said the crew took enormous pride in the Queen's sponsorship of their submarine and support for all onboard since she formally named the vessel nearly 20 years ago. He said: 'Her Majesty the Queen has supported us from the very beginning, she has consistently shown a deep commitment to all aspects of our work. 'Her continued engagement with our activities and achievements over the years has meant a great deal to us.' It's been a busy day for Queen Camilla, as she also visited a local children's hospice before she attended the navy event. She listened to performances and spoke with care users, families and staff during a visit to Little Bridge House in Fremington, Devon, on Wednesday. The unit - part of Children's Hospice South West - is celebrating its 30th anniversary of providing care for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and also helps support their families. During her second visit to Little Bridge, the Queen spoke of the importance of children's hospices, saying more are needed around the country. Her speech followed a game of air hockey with Daisy Clark, 15, a bereaved sibling. The Queen immediately won a point from her opponent and played a second short rally, which ended in a draw. Addressing staff, she said: 'These children's hospices are such wonderful places. 'I don't think we realise quite how lucky we are to have them. I think it would be wonderful if we could have a few more. 'Everyone who works in them and makes them such happy places deserve a huge, huge thank you.' She said on her first visit to a children's hospice she thought they would be sad places, 'but they are completely uplifting'. Camilla also praised the work of the charity's co-founder Eddie Farwell, who died earlier this year, and the Queen unveiled a commemorative photograph of him and his family. Mr Farwell opened Little Bridge House with his wife Jill in 1995 after they experienced the urgent need for hospice care for children in the South West. Their two eldest children, Tom and Katie, had life-limiting conditions, and the family had to travel more than four hours to Oxford for support. They went on to set up two other children's hospices in Cornwall and Bristol. During her visit, the Queen heard a performance by Vanessa Klos, 18, a bereaved sibling who wrote a song in memory of her brother Jordan. Speaking to the press, Ms Klos said: 'It's a song I have written called You Are the Reason. 'I wrote it for my little brother, who sadly passed away in December 2023. 'It's a song that allows me to express my emotions, and it's helped me grieve with his passing. 'It was an absolute pleasure (to sing for the Queen), I'm just so happy that I even got invited to do such a thing. 'I was holding tears back thinking about my little brother.' She added that the Queen told her the song was beautiful, and Jordan would be proud of her. Lizzy Farwell, daughter of Eddie and Jill, who remains an ambassador for the charity, described the visit as 'really moving'. She said: 'It's incredibly special to have the Queen here. 'To come here and celebrate 30 years of the Children's Hospice South West was really an honour. 'When my dad passed away, she wrote to me to send her condolences. It was very special for her to take that time.' She added that the photograph unveiled by the Queen was special to her as it was one of the few pictures of her, her parents and her two siblings. Phil Morris, chief executive of the charity, added that the visit 'meant the world' to the families who use the service and the staff. 'She gave us such encouragement to carry on, she said there should be more children's hospices in the UK and around the world, which really shows her compassion,' he said.
Telegraph
16-07-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Queen becomes first female Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom
The Queen will on Wednesday become the first woman and the first member of the Royal family to be appointed Vice Admiral of the UK. The honorary appointment, which dates back to the mid-16th century, was made in recognition of her ongoing support for the Royal Navy and the 'high regard' in which she is held by all. Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said it would 'further enhance Her Majesty's relationship with the service'. The announcement was made ahead of the Queen's attendance at a ceremony at Devonport in Plymouth, the UK's biggest naval base, to mark the end of the first 15-year commission of HMS Astute. The Queen is Lady Sponsor of the submarine, and will join the ship's company to celebrate the longest first commission of any Royal Navy submarine in history. Camilla, 77, named the hunter-killer sub in 2007 and watched it enter service three years later. Since then, the Queen has written to the 135-strong crew at least once a year, recently sending English breakfast tea and shortbread, which was 'really well received on board'. Office created in 1513 The office of Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom was created by Henry VIII in 1513 and the most recent holder was the former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Defence Staff, the late Adml Lord Boyce. Boyce died aged 79 in 2022, following an impressive naval career that took him from officer cadet to chief of the defence staff in 40 years. He succeeded Sir Donald Gosling, who died aged 90 in 2019, and who was made Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom by Elizabeth II in 2012, in acknowledgement of contribution to maritime life and the Royal Navy. With a deep love of the sea, he long campaigned for a new Royal Yacht Britannia and reportedly left £50 million in his will to the cause. Gen Sir Gwyn said: 'We are honoured to welcome Her Majesty the Queen to HM Naval Base Devonport. Her Majesty's visit has been a tremendous boost to morale, and the honorary appointment reflects the high regard in which Her Majesty is held by all of us.' As Sponsor, the Queen is regarded as a member of HMS Astute's ship's company, attending key moments in the vessel's life and is kept regularly informed of the ship's activities. Commander Christopher Bate, the Commanding Officer of HMS Astute, said crew took enormous pride in Her Majesty's sponsorship of their submarine – and her support for all aboard since she formally named the vessel, as the Duchess of Cornwall. almost 20 years ago. 'Her Majesty The Queen has supported us from the very beginning,' he said. 'She has consistently shown a deep commitment to all aspects of our work. Her continued engagement with our activities and achievements over the years has meant a great deal to us. 'It is a proud and memorable moment to welcome Her Majesty to HMS Astute and for her to meet our families as we mark the end of our first commission.' On arrival, on the naval base, the Queen will be met by Commander Bate before inspecting a Guard of Honour consisting of submariners. She will then descend onto the deck or 'casing' of the submarine for the ceremony, during which the Ensign and Union flag will be lowered and the National Anthem played. The ship's company will then conduct a 'Cheer Ship' for the Queen – a Royal Navy tradition carried out as a special form of salute. HMS Astute will now undergo a major overhaul at Devonport before returning to the seas for her second commission. The Queen most recently visited the boat during a break in operations in Faslane five years ago. She apologised then that she was unable to shake crew members' hands, due to the coronavirus pandemic – and thanked them 'from the bottom of my heart' for their service. 'I remember so well Aug 27 2010, as we watched this magnificent boat enter into active service,' she said at the time. 'On that day, I half-jokingly wondered if I would ever join you for a dive. 'While that has not yet proved possible, somewhat to my relief, I have taken an enormous interest in your work over the past decade.' In addition to HMS Astute, she is Sponsor of the UK's flagship HMS Prince of Wales, currently deployed to the Pacific, and Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Navy Medical Service and Naval Chaplaincy Services. The King is Lord High Admiral, the ceremonial head of the Royal Navy.
