Queen Camilla’s Son Reveals She’s “Probably” the First Queen to Ever Carry Out a Rather Ordinary Task
A woman of the people.
Queen Elizabeth II was known for her grandmotherly presence and a life of public service, but there's one activity that you wouldn't find her doing in the palace—something Queen Camilla did on a daily basis for decades.
Speaking to Discover Britain magazine, Camilla's son Tom Parker Bowles revealed that his mother has very likely made history for the simple act of cooking a meal. "It’s probably true that my mother is the first queen to have ever cooked," he shared.
The celebrated food writer—who recently released a royal cookbook, Cooking & The Crown—continued that his mother "cooks less now, but cooked for two children for 20 years and is very good."
Of course, Queen Camilla grew up outside of palace walls, so whipping up dishes for her family was an ordinary task. But prior queens who didn't have the same "commoner" background, like Queen Victoria, wouldn't have needed to learn how to make a meal.
It's been well documented that Queen Elizabeth II didn't cook, and who can blame Her Majesty if she had a palace kitchen ready to serve her?
As for Parker Bowles—who admitted that he and sister Laura Lopes were like "terrified but awestruck puppies" during an accidental run-in with Queen Elizabeth—his new cookbook includes recipes spanning from Queen Victoria's era to the present day.
He told Discover Britain that he's "always been fascinated by" the world of royal food. However, the food writer admitted that he "avoided the subject" until now "for obvious reasons," waiting to release the book until his mother was Queen.
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"Queen Victoria and Edward VII would have 12 dishes for lunch and rich teas," the author shared, adding, "they also liked good British food."
But despite the lavish meals of royal days gone by, he emphasized that his newest release "is a cookbook to be used and splattered," such as Queen Camilla's famous chicken broth.
When it comes to his stepfather, King Charles, Parker Bowles called the monarch "a British food hero," praising his knowledge of agriculture.
"He’s been talking about heritage fruits and vegetables and rare breeds for years now, so when he talks to farmers he’s really well informed," the food critic said.
Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.
Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.
Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.
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