Queen Camilla's departure from traditional etiquette at a recent royal event stirred feelings of discomfort among attendees, as per the observations of an expert.
Accompanied by King Charles, the Queen engaged with a distinguished crowd of authors, actors, and literary enthusiasts at the Reading Room Literary Festival's exclusive reception over the weekend, held at the historic Hampton Court Palace. Among the attendees were luminaries like Derek Jacobi, Richard E Grant, Dame Judi Dench, Gyles Brandreth, and Dame Joanna Lumley.
The Queen arrived later than scheduled due to unfavorable weather conditions but was eventually seen receiving salutations from three of her acquaintances who bowed and curtseyed, only for Camilla to respond with a swift cheek kiss.
Judi James, a renowned body language specialist, scrutinized the Queen's behavior and observed a certain level of "awkwardness" surrounding the compliance of etiquette rules. Speaking to Express.co.uk, James highlighted the importance of clear and unambiguous etiquette in royal greeting rituals, indicating the uncomfortable atmosphere created by the ambiguity.
James suggested that the Queen's intentions to retain the same informal relationships with her friends as before she ascended to the throne, could be causing this discomfort.
She explained: "Camilla's body language here seems to suggest she would prefer no upgrading with her friends as she doesn't seem to offer scope for the kind of bobbing curtseys or head-bows that are being performed."
James also noted the Queen's desire to maintain the 'closeness grading' rituals she adopted before her coronation, where acquaintances receive a casual cheek kiss and others receive a handshake. However, she said, such differential treatment isn't appropriate for a Queen as it might leave guests feeling awkward and alienate those not in the 'inner circle'.
In one notably "chaotic" greeting, James mentioned that Queen Camilla's mixed intentions of maintaining both her royal and friendly demeanour caused confusion. She stressed that as Queen, Camilla should establish clear greeting expectations to avoid such awkwardness.
The festival saw readings by Dame Joanna Lumley and Grant from renowned works, while Grant emphasized the importance of reading, citing Alice In Wonderland as his lifelong favourite.
Notably, Gyles Brandreth highlighted the genuine passion King Charles and Queen Camilla share for the arts. During the event, he humorously discussed his Tudor Rose insignia jumper with Charles.
Meanwhile, other attendees like Ben Elton and author Kate Mosse, appreciated the royal focus on literature and praised Camilla's passionate support for reading and women's empowerment.
Queen Camilla initiated the Reading Room as an Instagram book club during the 2021 lockdown. The initiative, which evolved into a charity this February, aims to foster an appreciation of literature among adults and children. The festival, co-hosted by The Queen's Reading Room and Historic Royal Palaces, raises funds for the respective charities.
