Queen Camilla has hailed the battle against osteoporosis, describing it as a 'silent thief hiding in plain sight', as she marked the 40th anniversary of the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) at Clarence House. The Queen, who is president of the ROS, gathered staff, celebrity supporters, and donors in the gardens to celebrate the milestone, acknowledging that while a cure has not yet been found, progress is being made.
Celebrity Support and Awareness
Among the guests were ROS ambassadors Felicity Kendal, Susan Hampshire, Miriam Margolyes, Julien Macdonald, and Gloria Hunniford, alongside other famous faces like Jools Holland and Ross Kemp. Broadcaster Angela Rippon, another ROS ambassador, also attended and highlighted the importance of bone health, noting that dancing has helped keep her bones strong.
The Queen's Personal Connection
In her speech, Queen Camilla shared her personal connection to the disease, having lost both her mother Rosalind and her grandmother Sonia to osteoporosis. She became patron of the then-National Osteoporosis Society in 1997 and its president in 2001. In 2002, she gave her first public speech recounting her mother's ordeal.
A Call for Continued Efforts
The Queen recalled her 2016 speech at the same venue for the ROS's 30th anniversary, where she hoped for a cure within 30 years. She said: 'We are not quite there yet, but we are well on the way... Together, we can – and we will – see the end of osteoporosis, forever.'
Silver Swans and Bone Health
Angela Rippon, who is also an ambassador for the Silver Swans ballet classes for older adults run by the Royal Academy of Dance, revealed that Queen Camilla is a member. Rippon said: 'Her Majesty’s one of our Silver Swans – I got her – I said to her 'you’ve got to join us ma’am' and she did.'
