Charles and Camilla are “yin and yang” but they make an absolutely formidable team, say friends and family.
Annabel Elliot, the Queen's sister, described her as the king's “stone”, while her close friend, Lady Lansdowne, said the fact that the couple had to “fight” to be together reflected their unwavering “bond”. just strengthened.
And speaking publicly for the first time about the long relationship between the king and queen, Princess Anne – not known for her emotional exuberance – gave her sister-in-law the royal seal of approval.
“I've known her for quite a while. “Her understanding of the role and the huge difference she makes to the King was absolutely outstanding,” she said.
“She wouldn't be a natural for this role, but she does it really well. She provides the change of pace and tone, which is equally important.”
The Queen's sister: Annabel Elliot (pictured) described Camilla as the King's 'stone'
King Charles waved to the crowd as he walked to church with Queen Camilla yesterday
Stronger than ever: Charles and Camilla stroll through Birkhall in the BBC documentary
King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London after the coronation
Charles and Camilla are “yin and yang” but they make an absolutely formidable team, say friends and family
Queen Camilla and King Charles III before the state banquet at Buckingham Palace, London, to mark the state visit of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee to the United Kingdom on November 21, 2023
The women were interviewed this evening for BBC One's royal documentary, which follows Charles III: The Coronation Year in his first year as monarch.
Ms Elliot, who was one of her sister's two ladies in attendance on the day of the coronation, added: “She is his rock and I can't stress that enough.”
“She is someone who is fiercely loyal and not someone who has major ups and downs.”
However, she stressed that it is not a one-sided relationship and explained: “He brings her everything.” I don't talk about all that [she said, referring to Buckingham Palace]but… he has so much knowledge and interest in so many different things that she wouldn't have really been open to if she hadn't met him.
“It’s actually yin and yang.” They really are polar opposites. But I think it works great.'
She added, waving her hand up to indicate her pace of work: “Most of us at this age think, yes, quiet times. But for them, that's just how it's going to work out.”
The documentary shows footage of the couple walking Queen's Battersea Dogs and Cats Home rescue dog Beth – a Jack Russell – in Birkhall, their beloved Scottish home.
Camilla is dressed casually in jeans and a jacket, Charles in a tweed jacket and tie.
The programme, produced by the Mail's Robert Hardman, will also include footage from last year's Christmas broadcast.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot on June 24 this year
King Charles and the Queen are “yin and yang” but they make an absolutely formidable team, Camilla's sister says in a new BBC documentary following the monarch's Christmas message
Lady Lansdowne said the fact that the couple had to “fight” to be together had only strengthened their unwavering “bond”.
They casually talk about how Beth ate a mouse the last time they were up there, and remark on how her grandchildren love skipping across the river on a rickety old bridge that runs through their yard.
The two seem completely comfortable in each other's company and instinctively finish each other's sentences after so many decades together.
Camilla's long-time friend Fiona Lansdowne, one of her new companions – a modern lady-in-waiting – and her other lady present at the coronation, says of her: “They are an extraordinary team.”
“And I think it's led to them developing a really strong bond, whether they had to fight to get there or whether it's just because they've been through a lot together.”
Britain's Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales pose for a photo before the diplomatic reception in the 1844 Room of Buckingham Palace on December 5th this year
King Charles II and Camilla, Queen Consort of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Her Majesty the Queen's State Funeral
Charles and Camilla at their wedding at Windsor Castle in April 2005
The King and Queen, along with other members of the royal family, celebrated Christmas Day at Sandringham and attended a service at St Mary Magdalene Church.
Charles waved to the crowds who had gathered outside the Norfolk church to wish him and his family a Merry Christmas.
He was closely followed by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who were joined by their children Prince George (10), Princess Charlotte (8) and Prince Louis (5).
The Princess of Wales wore an elegant blue coat and matching hat as she smiled broadly as she walked to the church holding the hand of her daughter Princess Charlotte.
Prince William also held his son's hand while Prince George walked alongside his sister in a navy blue suit.
Prince Louis grinned as he shared a joke with Mia Tindall on Christmas morning
The King and Queen will celebrate Christmas Day with other members of the Royal Family at Sandringham
The Princess of Wales held her daughter Princess Charlotte's hand on the way to the service
Queen Camilla welcomed around 1,000 well-wishers in front of the church on Monday
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh joined the rest of the royal family for the service on Monday morning
Prince Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson also joined the rest of the royal family on Monday
Jack Brooksbank and Princess Eugenie at the Christmas morning service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk
Lady Louise Windsor accompanies her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, to church
For the second year in a row, the disgraced Duke of York attended church with the Sandringham family.
His ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, walked behind him and smiled at the press in her first public appearance at Sandringham in years.
Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, were with their husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank.
Notably absent from the royal Christmas were the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who spent the holiday with their children in LA.
In his Christmas message, broadcast at 3pm on Monday, the King paid tribute to Brits who dedicate themselves to “service”.
It was shot in the Center Room at Buckingham Palace, which leads to the royal residence's iconic balcony, and also showed a live Christmas tree being replanted in the background, complete with natural and sustainable decorations.
Charles, who has previously stressed the importance of re-wearing clothes, wore the same blue single-breasted suit he wore to his speech last year.
His second annual speech was a nod to the environment, in contrast to the typically apolitical messages of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.