Friends of Queen Camilla told The Daily Beast that she is “absolutely devastated and exhausted” by the pressures of dealing with her husband King Charles' cancer and leading the royal family after it was announced that Camilla was leaving for a marriage this week Foreigner takes vacation from work.
However, the friend said she didn't complain about the expectations placed on her and was “proud to support her husband.”
“She is completely devastated and exhausted by the turmoil of the last two months,” a friend of Camilla’s told The Daily Beast. “She is 76 years old and her husband has just been diagnosed with cancer. That would be a lot for anyone to handle without the media attention that comes with their position.”
Another family friend told The Daily Beast, “Camilla has had to do basically everything over the last few months, and it's no secret that it's been tiring.” She was at a time in her life where most people are already retired, under extraordinary pressure. You'd never hear her moan about it because she knows it comes with the territory, but everyone is just really happy that she's taking some time for herself, especially since it could be several months away.”
Camilla was one of the few senior members of the family to continue making a slew of public appearances after Kate Middleton and Charles both had to step down from their duties due to health reasons and William opted for a reduced work schedule while his wife's recovery made his family a priority grant. The other senior members of the family who still hold public roles are Charles' sister, Princess Anne, his brother, Prince Edward, and Edward's wife, Sophie.
When asked what Camilla thought about taking on so much more work than she probably expected, Camilla has taken on 13 official engagements since the King's cancer diagnosis was announced on February 5 and has since become the public face of the monarchy – one of her friends said: “It wasn't what she expected but anyone who knows her will tell you she doesn't complain. She is proud to support her husband. We are all very happy that she actually took this week off.”
When asked if they knew where Camilla had gone, the friend only replied that her destination was abroad and extremely private. The Daily Beast could not confirm their destination. The palace did not respond to a request for comment.
King Charles and Queen Camilla leave Clarence House on February 6, 2024 in London, Britain, a day after it was announced that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
Toby Melville/Portal
However, there is little doubt that their absence has left the royal family, already significantly understaffed, looking even more shabby.
As calls grow across the mainstream and on social media for William to return to a busier schedule, particularly after he canceled a high-profile appearance at a memorial service for his godfather, the last king of Greece, last week, The Daily Beast reports He has been told that William is determined to stick to his plan and keep a relaxed schedule until his wife is fully recovered, probably around Easter. The couple is not expected to travel abroad much, if at all, this year.
However, another source questioned the optics of Camilla's trip abroad, despite the royal family apparently being short-staffed and under pressure.
A former palace official told The Daily Beast: “I think it's absolutely good that Camilla is taking some time off, she needs it, but my personal opinion is that her getting on a plane will probably turn out to be a mistake. The reason the Queen never vacationed abroad is because her staff simply cannot protect their privacy abroad in the same way as they can on the royal estates. With everything going on, it's not the perfect time to relax by the pool. If she had stayed in the UK they wouldn’t have even had to announce anything.”