Queen Camilla's son, Tom Parker Bowles, has offered a fresh glimpse into what his mother is really like behind closed doors. The acclaimed chef and author spoke with the Press and Journal during a visit to Braemar, revealing that the Queen is very humble in her downtime and very different from the glamour of her royal engagements.
A love for the countryside
Parker Bowles described how the Queen enjoys simple pleasures away from public life. He said: "We’re big walkers… and it’s just so different from London, obviously. Just the peace and the sound of the river… It all sounds very clichéd, but I do come away after two or three days just feeling so relaxed."
The comments highlight a quieter side to the Queen's life, contrasting with the formal duties and appearances associated with her role.
Breakfast habits revealed
Parker Bowles has previously spoken about other aspects of his mother's daily routines, including her breakfast preferences. In his book Cooking and the Crown, which explores the history of food within the Royal Family, he explained that the Queen eats porridge in the winter and yoghurt in the summer.
He wrote: "In winter, my mother eats porridge every day — plain, aside from a little of her own honey." He added: "The hives sit at the back of a field at Ray Mill, the house in which my sister and I spent the latter part of our youth. During winter, all is quiet. But come the summer, we tend to give those hives a wide berth."
Honey for charity
The Queen gives most of her honey to Fortnum & Mason, where it is sold in special jars, with all proceeds going to one of her charities. Parker Bowles described it as "delicate and mild, as fine stirred into a good Darjeeling tea as it is mixed with porridge or yoghurt."
