Queen Camilla appears in high spirits as she hosts the first female crew to win an around
Queen Camilla appeared in high spirits on Monday as she hosted her first public engagement since it was announced that King Charles is set to return to public duties for the first time since his cancer diagnosis.
The royal, 76, hosted a reception for the 'Maiden' yachting crew following their Global Ocean Race Win at Clarence House.
The glamorous reception follows the team's unprecedented win of the Ocean Globe Race earlier this month, making them the first ever all-female crew to win an around-the-world yacht race.
Camilla chatted with and shook hands with several members of the team, before posing for a picture with Tracy Edwards MBE, who initiated the race.
The Queen was hardly spotted without a smile on her face, as she is clearly still basking in the good news surrounding her husband's health.
Queen Camilla appeared in high spirits on Monday as she hosted a reception for the 'Maiden' yachting crew at Clarence House
Camilla looked regal in a formal navy dress with silver detailing along the edges and round the shoulders.
For jewellery, she added a simple gold necklace and a stylish silver brooch - as well as pearl earrings for an elegant touch.
She has been involved in the team's efforts from the start, sending them a message of good luck before they embarked on their trip - so it was a full-circle moment to welcome them to the royal residence.
The Queen hailed the record-breaking crew of The Maiden as 'brilliant' as she welcomed them to Clarence House to celebrate their unprecedented victory in the Ocean Globe Race.
They became the first ever all-female crew to win an around-the-world yacht race, setting sail last September and crossing the finish line on April 16 after spending 153 days at sea and raising funds and awareness for girls' education.
Thanking them for coming, Her Majesty said: 'I think you are doing a brilliant job. Keep on doing it, it's really important.'
She told sailing legend Tracy Edwards, who founded The Maiden Factor, which promotes girls' education through the Yacht: 'You've brought the warm weather with you. It's rather warmer than Scotland, where I've just come from, which was absolutely freezing!'
Before the crew set sail last year, the Queen sent a message to say: 'You are all much in my thoughts today, as you cross the start line of the Ocean Globe Race for Maiden's final race.
Camilla is pictured with Tracy Edwards MBE, who initiated the challenge and was onboard the original boat
Camilla looked regal in a formal navy dress with silver detailing along the edges and round the shoulders
It has been a week filled with good news for Camilla, as Charles will return to his public duties
The royal, 76, appeared very animated as she shook hands and chatted with the crew
'I do hope that each one of you is proud to be part of such a special crew, bringing Messages of Hope to girls across the world. I wish you fair winds and following seas! - Camilla R.'
Over tea, sandwiches, cake and Champagne, the crew were introduced to Her Majesty, who joked that 'everybody looks younger and younger.'
Hailing the winning crew's skipper Heather Thomas, Tracy told the Queen: 'She's happy, she has a glass of Champagne in her hand.'Quite right!' replied Camilla.
Turning to Heather, 27, she said: 'You are a very young skipper!'
'I'm the same age that Tracy was when she did the race.'
Tracy and her all-female crew finished second in the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race aboard the 58ft Maiden, becoming the first all-female team to take part in an around-the-world race.
Asked by the Queen how she became a sailor, Heather replied: 'I used to sail dinghies with my dad and then..'
'A bit of a bigger Dinghy!' joked the Queen
The 2023-24 retro-style race, which took place 50 years after the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, saw the crew ditch computers, GPS, and other high-tech tools for sextants and paper charts.
Sailors on board 14 boats raced over four legs across 27,000 nautical miles, taking in stops in South Africa, New Zealand and Uruguay.
The Queen giggled as she was told how crew members were allowed to play cassette tapes during the voyage and had to be shown how to re-spool tape using a pencil.
The Queen was hardly spotted without a smile on her face, as she is clearly still basking in the good news
Queen Camilla and Tracy Edwards MBE speaks to several members of the Maiden Yachting Crew after becoming the first ever all-female crew to win an around-the-world yacht race
This month, following over 153 days at sea, Maiden made history again becoming the first all-female team to win an around-the-world yacht race
'You learned a lot of new skills!' she laughed.
This year's crew was the most diverse professional sailing crew ever to sail the world.
Members come from the UK, Antigua, USA, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Italy, France and Afghanistan and include the first Black and Middle Eastern female crew members to take part in such a race.
The Queen was introduced to Najiba Noori, a former AFP camerawoman who fled Afghanistan nearly three years ago and was recruited to film aboard the Maiden during the race.
She told Camilla: 'I grew up in the mountains, I had never been at sea.'
Speaking afterwards, she said: 'It was a little bit scary, especially when there were big waves and wind, but slowly, slowly, it was okay.'
She said of her escape from the Taliban: 'The day I left Afghanistan, that was the toughest day of my life and the toughest decision I've made. I had just five minutes to decide should I leave or stay. But I knew that if I stayed I would be a prisoner.'
Najiba, who now lives in France, said of her meeting with the Queen: 'I would never imagine to sail around the world and.. win the race and after that to meet the Queen.
'It was very nice to talk to her and tell her a little bit of my story.
'She told me 'It's very important that you were part of this race', sailing on Maiden, which has a very important message for the world about girls' education. That was the reason that I decided that I wanted to do this race for the women and girls of Afghanistan.'
Camilla joined the crew members for a photograph - as she has supported them on their journey from the start
The 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race (OGR) was a fully crewed, retro race, in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, marking the 50th anniversary of the original event.
The race is unusual in that the teams compete without computers, GPS, and high-tech materials, instead navigating with sextants and paper charts.
It saw 14 boats set sail from Cowes for the journey of over 27,000 nautical miles, spanning four legs via three great Capes - starting and ending in the UK with stops in South Africa, New Zealand, and Uruguay.
Three decades ago, skipper Tracy Edwards MBE and her all-female crew finished second – winning two of the six legs – in the 1989/90 Whitbread Round the World Race aboard the 58ft Maiden yacht.
The crew were the first all-female team to take part in an around-the-world yacht race.
In September 2023, initiated by Tracy Edwards, Maiden embarked on the Ocean Globe Race with the most diverse professional sailing crew ever to sail the world.
Hailing from the UK, Antigua, USA, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Italy, France and Afghanistan, the crew includes the first black female crew and the first Middle Eastern female crew to race around the world – helping to reflect and celebrate the people, traditions, values and beliefs of the cultures on their 28,000-mile marathon around the world.
This month, following over 153 days at sea, Maiden made history again becoming the first all-female team to win an around-the-world yacht race.
Camilla with members of the original Maiden Yachting Crew, who set sail three decades ago
For jewellery, she added a simple gold necklace and a stylish silver brooch - as well as pearl earrings for an elegant touch
It comes after Buckingham Palace announced that the King will return to public-facing duties from Tuesday.
Charles is not yet clear of the disease and is still undergoing treatment, but his medical team are understood to be 'pleased with the progress made so far' and 'remain positive' about his recovery.
To mark the news, Buckingham Palace announced two milestone events, the first of many, and passed on thanks for all the good wishes the King has received.
On Tuesday the King and Queen Camilla will visit a cancer treatment centre – a poignant engagement given his cancer battle as well as that of his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales. They will meet medical specialists and patients.
And in late June they will host an incoming state visit by the Emperor and Empress of Japan.
Officials released a new portrait of Charles, 75, and Camilla, 76, looking happy and relaxed, taken earlier this month to mark the first anniversary of their coronation.
In a statement on Friday Buckingham Palace said: 'As the first anniversary of the coronation approaches, Their Majesties remain deeply grateful for the many kindnesses and good wishes they have received from around the world throughout the joys and challenges of the past year.'
Asked how the King was feeling, a spokesman replied that he was 'greatly encouraged to be resuming some public-facing duties and very grateful to his medical team for their continued care and expertise'.
The King's health crisis became public in January when it was announced that he was going into a private hospital for surgery on an enlarged prostate. He remained in The London Clinic in Marylebone for three days.
At the time it thought that the condition was not cancerous, but the following month it was revealed that subsequent tests had discovered the presence of the disease elsewhere in his body.
Buckingham Palace has not revealed the nature of the cancer or what treatment the King is receiving to deal with it.
A new portrait was released of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to mark the first anniversary of his coronation as Buckingham Palace announced his return to public-facing duties
Officials have stressed that treatment is ongoing, saying: 'His Majesty's treatment programme will continue, but doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far that the King is now able to resume a number of public facing duties.
'Forthcoming engagements will be adapted where necessary to minimise any risks to His Majesty's continued recovery.'
The Daily Mail has already revealed that planning is under way for Charles to attend his birthday celebrations, Trooping the Colour, as well as Royal Ascot and the summer garden parties.
Officials are at pains to point out that the King has worked throughout his diagnosis and treatment, dealing with state papers, meeting the Prime Minister and other dignitaries, and even undertaking engagements with small numbers of people behind palace walls.
The first sign that the future was looking more rosy came when Charles undertook a short public walkabout outside church at Windsor on Easter Sunday.
But the monarch has been unable, until now, to undertake engagements involving large numbers of the public either inside or even outdoors.
It is unclear yet whether he will be able to travel to Normandy in June for the major D-Day anniversary commemorations or to Australia, New Zealand and Samoa as planned in October. But it is understood that the King is keen to if his health allows.