Queen Camilla attended the inaugural Entente Littéraire Prize ceremony in London on Wednesday, marking a remarkable return to public duties despite her recent battle with pneumonia.
The 77-year-old monarch joined France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, at the event, celebrating the literary connection between Britain and France.
This was Queen Camilla's second literary engagement since she disclosed her health struggles, following her pneumonia diagnosis earlier in the week.
Although still recovering from post-viral fatigue, the Queen’s presence at the ceremony demonstrated her dedication to supporting literacy initiatives.
She had previously shared with guests at a Buckingham Palace reception that she had been recovering from the illness.
The Entente Littéraire Prize, launched during the royal couple's state visit to France in September 2023, honours young adult and teenage literature, fostering the strong cultural ties between the two nations.
At Wednesday’s ceremony, Queen Camilla and Madame Macron met with the judges and authors shortlisted for the prestigious award.
Queen Camilla’s participation in the event comes amid a period of reduced royal engagements due to her health. After announcing her chest infection on November 5, the Queen had to skip several important events, including Remembrance services.
Despite her illness, she still attended the Booker Prize finalists meeting and received an honorary doctorate from Princess Anne.
However, she had to step back from the Royal Variety Performance and scaled back her involvement in the Qatar state visit this week.
