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    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    Queen Camilla Reveals What She Always Keeps In Her Handbag

    “It is a wonderful way of escapism."

    Christine Ross's avatar
    By Christine Ross
    Published 10 June 2026 In News

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    Queen Camilla handbag
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    Queen Camilla has an enviable handbag collection, ranging from Dior to Bottega Veneta to Chanel. Anyone would be tempted to swipe a classic top handle bag or an evening clutch from her closet. At a recent royal engagement, Queen Camilla gave us a peek at what she keeps inside her handbags that has made us all love her even more. It isn’t a Clarins Lip Perfector or a silk handkerchief, but something much more relatable.

    Queen Camilla wearing a pink coat shaking hands with a girl

    Queen Camilla carrying a Launer bag.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Queen Camilla in France

    Queen Camila loves a good bag.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    On a visit to St. Mungo’s, a homelessness support charity in London, Queen Camilla revealed that she almost always has a book in her handbag. Speaking to morning talk show broadcaster Lorraine Kelly, Kelly told the Queen “I’ve always got a book in my bag,” to which Queen Camilla enthusiastically replied, “so have I.”

    For the special visit, which focused on the connection between literacy and homelessness support, Queen Camilla donated 20 books to the facility from her own bookshelf of favorites. The books included popular titles such as Wuthering Heights (is Queen Camilla Team a fan of Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, one wonders?), War Horse, A Gentleman in Moscow and Black Beauty. “Books do so much for people,” the Queen said during the visit. “It is a wonderful way of escapism and taking them out of their life and into another one.”

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    LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 10: Queen Camilla places books on shelves to highlight the activities offered by The Queen's Reading Room, during a visit to one of St Mungo's homelessness accommodation sites in south London, on June 10, 2026 in London, England. The Queen met with residents and staff who are connected to a shared reading programme enabled by The Queen's Reading Room. St Mungo's homelessness charity, founded in 1969, has for the past 56 years been supporting people as they rebuild their lives at Olympia Exhibition Centre. (Photo by Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

    Queen Camilla is a passionate literacy advocate.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 10: Queen Camilla places books on shelves to highlight the activities offered by The Queen's Reading Room, during a visit to one of St Mungo's homelessness accommodation sites in south London, on June 10, 2026 in London, England. The Queen met with residents and staff who are connected to a shared reading programme enabled by The Queen's Reading Room. St Mungo's homelessness charity, founded in 1969, has for the past 56 years been supporting people as they rebuild their lives at Olympia Exhibition Centre. (Photo by Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

    Queen Camilla donated 20 books to the bookshelf.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Queen Camilla has been a passionate advocate for literacy and the power of a book. Through The Queen’s Reading Room, Queen Camilla has connected many charities and organizations through the impact and benefits of reading “With their extraordinary power to educate and inspire, books have enriched my life since I was a child,” Queen Camilla shared on The Queen’s Reading Room website. “I hope that we, together with our partners, can foster in adults and children alike a lifelong love of literature and connect more people with that special magic that can only be found in the leaves of a book.”

    Shop Queen Camilla's Book Picks

    Wuthering Heights (puffin in Bloom)

    Emily Bronte
    Wuthering Heights
    $19$13
    SHOP NOW

    War Horse (scholastic Gold)

    Michael Morpurgo
    War Horse
    $8$6
    SHOP NOW

    A Gentleman in Moscow: a Novel

    Amor Towles
    A Gentleman in Moscow: a Novel
    $19$10
    SHOP NOW

    Black Beauty: an Autobiography of a Horse

    Anna Sewell
    Black Beauty: an Autobiography of a Horse
    $9
    SHOP NOW

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    Queen Camilla
    Christine Ross
    Christine Ross
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    Writer

    Christine Ross is a freelancer writer, royal expert, broadcaster and podcaster. She's worked with news outlets including the BBC, Glamour, Talk TV, ET, PBS, CNN and 20/20 to cover the foremost royal events of the last decade, from Prince George’s birth to the coronation of King Charles III.

    She previously served as co-host of Royally Us, a weekly royal podcast by Us Weekly. As a freelance writer and royal commentator she provides expert commentary, historical context and fashion analysis about royal families worldwide, with an emphasis on the British Royal Family.

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