Queen Camilla and King Charles attended a lively reception for the British-Italian community in Rome on Tuesday evening.
The Queen added a vibrant touch in a bright green silk crepe dress by Anna Valentine, accessorising with a brooch that once belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The royal couple, aged 76 and 77 respectively, were in high spirits as they mingled with guests at Villa Wolkonsky, the British ambassador’s residence, joking about ageing and expressing their enjoyment of being in Italy during the glitzy evening event.
The event coincided with the King and Queen’s 20th wedding anniversary, which the royals marked with three photos from their Italian villa.
Queen Camilla and King Charles attended a lively reception for the British-Italian community in Rome yesterday evening.
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The reception began with a brass band playing the national anthem as the royal couple stood at the top of steps leading down into the garden.
They then joined 150 guests, including author William Blacker and his son Valentin Palffy, who was photographed hugging Charles during a previous meeting in Bucharest.
“It was wonderful and a miracle for me to see him again after all these years,” said Palffy.
When one guest mentioned meeting Charles years ago when they both had brown hair, the King jokingly replied, pointing to his white hair: “Didn’t we all.”
The King complemented his wife in a casual yet elegant blue pinstripe suit
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Camilla’s diamond-set Celtic knot design surrounding a cabochon emerald is a royal heirloom dating back centuries.
It originally belonged to Queen Mary of Teck after being given to her as a wedding gift from Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in 1893.
The late Queen Elizabeth wore it during several significant occasions, including when bestowing the George Cross on the NHS in July 2022.
The King complemented his wife in a casual yet elegant blue pinstripe suit.
The royal couple’s busy day had earlier included a visit to the Colosseum
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The royal couple’s busy day had earlier included a visit to the Colosseum, where they were greeted by cheering crowds and flag-waving schoolchildren.
They spent time shaking hands with the public while bands of the Welsh Guards and Sassari Brigade played, including the theme from the film Gladiator.
“The views are beautiful, beautiful,” remarked the Queen as they toured the iconic amphitheatre.
Before departing, the King described the restoration work as “brilliant,” while Camilla added: “It was lovely to be able to see this today.”
