Queen Camilla wears her Fabergé sapphires to meet stars of the Crown and Prince Harry’s pals for a National Theatre reception – but did she have her eyes on another diamond? – Tatler
Queen Camilla hosted actress Sharon D Clarke during a Buckingham Palace reception in honour of the National Theatre, which saw Her Majesty rub shoulders with the likes of Cate Blanchett, Andrew Garfield, and James CordenQueen Camilla seems to have found a favourite addition to her jewellery box, as she wore her new Fabergé sapphire earrings for the second time in so many weeks during a Buckingham Palace reception celebrating the National Theatre on Tuesday. The Queen, who followed in the footsteps of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and the late Queen Elizabeth when she was named patron of the cultural institution in 2022, rubbed shoulders with some of its most esteemed performers, including Cate Blanchett, Andrew Garfield, and Rory Kinnear.And while Her Majesty dazzled in her cascading Fabergé sapphires (a potential Valentine’s Day gift from King Charles, which she paired with a matching blue Anna Valentine dress and heart-shaped brooch), it seems she had her eye on a different piece of jewellery altogether.Queen Camilla donned her new Fabergé sapphire earrings for the occassion, in a true blue ensemble with matching brooch and dressThunderous, pulsating, visceral: blinding bright backdrops, bare sets and a rampaging dance troupe make for compulsive viewing in this new Oedipus productionActress Sharon D. Clarke held court at the Buckingham Palace reception, appearing in character as the formidable Lady Bracknell, who she is currently playing in the National Theatre’s adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. After ushering Queen Camilla to her seat, Clarke led a short sketch from the play, joining co-stars Ncuti Gatwa and Hugh Skinner (who is no stranger to a right royal performance, having played Prince William in Channel 4’s royal parody The Windsors).Sharon D Clarke and Hugh Skinner perform a sketch from The Importance of Being Earnest in front of the palace guestsQueen Camilla revealed that Oscar Wilde’s masterpiece was one of her favourite plays, before complimenting Sharon D Clarke on her dazzling jewelleryThe scene, in which Jack Worthing informs Lady Bracknell that he was found in a handbag at Victoria Station (‘a contempt for the ordinary decencies of family life that reminds one of the worst excesses of the French Revolution’), finishes with him declaring that he ‘hates the Palace’, which no doubt won a wry laugh from the esteemed guests.Max Webster’s adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s masterpiece is stylish, sexy, and simply scandalousAfterwards, Clarke shared a warm conversation with Queen Camilla, in which Her Majesty revealed that Wilde’s masterpiece is one of her favourite plays. With an eye on Clarke’s glorious costume – a radiant sunshine-yellow combination of petticoats, a wide-brimmed hat, and a gemstone-bedecked blue sash – Camilla remarked ‘I like all your decorations’, per MailOnline.‘You can’t nick any of them,’ joked the actress in response, before the Queen quipped: ‘I feel I could borrow a few, for a State Dinner. I think it would be just the job.’ She then revealed that she was particularly fond of one ‘very big diamond’ – perhaps Lady Bracknell’s finest could sit alongside Camilla’s Diamond Kokoshnik tiara?Patron of the National Theatre, Queen Camilla met with The Crown star Lesley Manville, Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett and British thespian Rory KinnearHer Majesty enjoyed a warm conversation with James Corden, who is a personal friend of Prince Harry and Meghan MarkleMike Bartlett doesn’t waste a word in this thought-provoking new play, Unicorn, which takes the concept of a traditional marriage and turns it on its headElsewhere at the event, there was quite the royal reunion, as Queen Camilla met with Imelda Staunton, who played the late Queen Elizabeth in the final seasons of The Crown, as well as Lesley Manville, who played Princess Margaret. Staunton is about to star in Mrs Warren’s Profession alongside her daughter, Bridgerton star Bessie Carter.Camilla herself was a recurring character on The Crown, which saw her played by Emerald Fennell (of Saltburn and Promising Young Woman fame) in earlier seasons and by Olivia Williams in her more recent years. The blockbuster drama depicted some of the more scandalous aspects of Charles and Camilla’s romantic history, including love affairs and intimate phone calls. Speaking of the now Queen’s portrayal in the last season of the show, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told The Express that ‘The Crown has undoubtedly been a considerable embarrassment for Charles, whether as Prince of Wales or as King and also for Camilla.’ It would, he added, have very little impact on her rising popularity ratings.Meghan Markle has revealed that her long-awaited lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard will henceforth be called ‘As Ever’. Here’s why royal fans think it’s a subtle rejection of the royal life she once livedJames Corden was also in attendance at the Buckingham Palace reception and enjoyed a high-spirited chat with the Queen. It could have been a somewhat awkward affair, considering Corden’s friendship with Prince Harry (who told him on Corden’s Late Late Show that living as a royal in London was ‘destroying my mental health’). Fortunately, the pair seemed more than comfortable in each other’s company, sharing a joke or two and laughing heartily.Surrounded by thespians in the exquisite milieu of Buckingham Palace – it was, as Queen Camilla remarked before she left the soirée, ‘a very lovely occasion’.More from TatlerContact© Condé Nast Britain 2025
