On her 78th birthday, Queen Camilla chose to celebrate in a very different setting from the royal halls.
The new photographs released by Buckingham Palace were not taken at Windsor or Clarence House, but at Ray Mill House, the private home she bought in 1995 after her divorce.
The choice of setting reveals an intimate side of the monarch and her desire to maintain a space of her own, away from the protocol that usually surrounds her.
Located next to the River Avon, this five-hectare estate has been a personal refuge for years. Although she moved to Clarence House in 2003, Camilla still escapes to Ray Mill frequently.
There she enjoys the company of her children and grandchildren and leads a more everyday life that contrasts with her official duties. Even her daughter Laura celebrated her wedding there in 2006.
The residence combines 19th-century Italian architecture with neo-Georgian elements added after several renovations.
Ray Mill House has been listed as a building of historical interest in the United Kingdom since 1987, which gives it legal protection.
The emotional value of this property to Camilla has been enough to prompt even King Charles to intervene recently.
To prevent an adjacent estate from being turned into an event center that would jeopardize the privacy of the place, he decided to buy it for three million euros. This way, he protects his wife’s space.