Queen Camilla kicked off the Christmas season with a deeply moving tradition, inviting terminally and seriously ill children to Clarence House for a festive morning.
This annual event, now in its 19th year, allowed the young guests supported by the Helen & Douglas House and Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity to decorate a Christmas tree and enjoy a meal of sausages and mash shaped like smiling faces.
The Queen, known for her patronage of both charities, greeted the children with special surprises, including a Christmas performance by the Band and Bugles of the Rifles.
During the event, Camilla made a heartfelt comment about looking forward to the end of 2024, reflecting on the year’s challenges, including health battles for King Charles and the Princess of Wales due to cancer diagnoses
Marie, who was widowed when Faye was a baby, said of Camilla: "She was very understanding and sympathetic of people's lives. And her life hasn't been easy this year, has it? She said she'd be glad to get to the end of the year and I think a lot of the families here feel like that as well.
"So there was that mutual understanding, but also, she's a fun grandma. She talked about her granddaughters herself because they are 17, like Katie. She's a really down to earth lady and put us at ease."
