Queen Camilla has been spotted carrying a Lady Dior bag, a style named in honour of Princess Diana, during the final day of her state visit to America. The £4,940 bag was originally presented to Diana as a diplomatic gift during a 1995 visit to Paris.
A Royal Accessory with a Legacy
The Lady Dior bag, made from goat and lambskin with cane-patterned patent leather and gilt hardware, was a prototype that Diana initially popularised. It was given to her by Bernadette Chirac, wife of the then French President Jacques Chirac, at the Grand Palais. Diana later acquired several versions in different colours, including black, which Camilla also owns alongside a white variant.
Camilla and King Charles are concluding their four-day trip to the United States, which included a state banquet with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania, as well as a star-studded charity gala in New York. The Queen's choice of accessory has drawn attention to the enduring legacy of the late Princess of Wales.
A Literary Evening in New York
Earlier in the week, Queen Camilla attended a reception for New York's literary elite at the New York Public Library. She was joined by actress Sarah Jessica Parker and Dame Anna Wintour, Global Editorial Director of Vogue. The event was hosted by the Queen's charity, the Queen's Reading Room.
Speaking at the venue, Camilla described the library as 'one of the world's greatest libraries, and somewhere I have always wanted to visit.' She shared how her father inspired her love of reading, referencing childhood favourites like Little Women and Charlotte's Web. 'Books are the best friend you can have – in good times and bad,' she remarked.
The event brought together around 100 guests from the literary, publishing, and cultural worlds, including singer Katherine Jenkins and authors Harlan Coben, Min Jin Lee, and Tina Brown. The historic Stephen A. Schwarzman building on Fifth Avenue has featured in numerous films and TV shows, including Breakfast at Tiffany's, Ghostbusters, and Sex and the City.
Connecting Through Books
Sarah Jessica Parker, who met the Queen earlier this year in London, described the visit as 'great for all New Yorkers.' She emphasised the importance of libraries and literacy, saying, 'I think anytime we have an opportunity to talk about our libraries and talk about literacy, I know that the Queen has spent a great deal of time focusing on that in her country.' Parker added that the Queen 'seems to covet her time with books' and 'loves reading as much as a lot of us greedy readers.'
The Queen's Reading Room charity aims to promote the joy of reading, and Camilla's visit to the library highlighted the cultural ties between the United States and the United Kingdom. As the royal tour concludes, the image of Queen Camilla carrying the Lady Dior bag serves as a poignant reminder of the lasting influence of Princess Diana's style.
