Cast members of The Archers have shared their memories of meeting Queen Camilla during her cameo appearance on the long-running BBC Radio 4 soap. A self-confessed "Archers addict", the wife of King Charles is said to enjoy unwinding with the programme in her spare time and has met the cast on several occasions.
Cameo Appearance in 2011
In a special episode in 2011 to celebrate The Archers' 60th anniversary, Queen Camilla played herself in her role as president of the National Osteoporosis Society.
Timothy Bentinck's Encounter
Timothy Bentinck, who has played David Archer since 1982, recalled a particularly memorable encounter when he received his MBE from the then Prince Charles in 2018. According to the actor, the monarch leaned over and told him at the ceremony: "My wife would be so jealous, she's such a fan."
Recalling a previous encounter with Camilla, he described her as "so easy and so lovely". Tim added: "The last time we met, I raised my eyebrow as if to say, 'Gosh, you're the Queen.' She looked at me with a look on her face as if to say, 'I know!'"
Sunny Ormonde's Reflection
Sunny Ormonde, who plays Lilian Bellamy, also reflected on meeting the Queen in an interview with HELLO! magazine. "She came into the show and was absolutely delightful," Sunny added. "She asked me where my [distinctive] laugh came from. I said to her, 'From the bottom of a gin bottle, ma'am.' I don't know if she winked at me. I was a bit flustered. The Archers has been a source of comfort to her. She said that in times of stress, she knows she can come back home, throw off her shoes and listen to The Archers."
Milestone Celebrations
In 2023, Queen Camilla sent her congratulations when The Archers celebrated its 20,000th episode. In a message to the show's editor, Jeremy Howe, she reportedly said: "As one of your greatest fans, and sadly unable to join you this evening, I will be thinking of you all and raising a glass to mark over a quarter of a million minutes of Archers magic from the last 72 years."
"Thank you for bringing joy, companionship, laughter, tears, compassion and understanding to your audience across the globe," she continued, before signing off with a light-hearted reference to one of the programme's villains. "Here's to the next 20,000 episodes – and, let's hope, the end of Rob Titchener!"
70th Anniversary Cake
For the show's 70th anniversary, the Queen also cut an Archers-themed cake alongside the now late actress June Spencer, who played matriarch Peggy Woolley.
Royal Appearances
The 78-year-old is not the only royal to have appeared in the programme. In 1984, Princess Margaret played herself in her capacity as president of the NSPCC to mark the charity's centenary. At the time, producer William Smethurst remarked that the Princess quickly mastered the microphone techniques required for radio drama.
