Camilla Stays The Course

The Duchess of Cornwall has gone from public enemy No 1 to a much-loved member of the royal family

- Kim Abrahams

She beams radiantly as she stands among the lush greenery of the Clarence House gardens, her royal blue dress emphasising the twinkle in her eye.

You’ve got to hand it to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall – she was once reviled as the world’s most famous “other woman”. But within the space of 25 years – without even really seeming to try – she’s managed to win the British public over.

In fact, Prince Charles’ wife is now such an integral part of The Firm that she’s expected to release an annual official birthday portrait just like the queen and all the other senior royals.

The official portrait released to mark Camilla’s 73rd birthday is telling because it shows just how comfortable she feels in her role. Instead of getting dolled up to the nines, the duchess chose to wear a recycled blue shift dress by one of her favourite designers, Anna Valentine. She stood on the rolling lawns of her London residence just long enough to give photographer Chris Jackson the chance to snap a few shots.

Now in her seventies, she doesn’t have all that much left to prove, and she knows exactly where she stands with her blue-blooded in-laws.

In fact, it was the queen who led the way in wishing Camilla well on her birthday. The Royal Family Instagram page shared a sweet picture of Queen Elizabeth and Camilla during an outing in 2014.

The duchess’ stepson, Prince William, and his wife, Kate, also posted a photo on their Instagram page, showing them with Charles (71) and Camilla during a rare joint engagement earlier this year.