Though King Charles III was unable to attend most of this spring’s Buckingham Palace garden parties due to his diagnosis with an unspecified form of cancer, he and Queen Camilla are getting in as many cute moments with the public as possible during a two-day trip to Britain’s Channel Islands, where they have come face-to-face with stormy weather, adoring crowds, and a few Jersey cows.
On Monday, their majesties began their day with a 21-gun salute in Jersey. They arrived in a purple Bentley, but when they disembarked, a torrential downpour meant they had to break out their umbrellas. Charles had a classic black umbrella, but Camilla brought out a clear umbrella, referencing her late mother-in-law, who had dozens of clear umbrellas in her collection and would often match their colorful trim to her daily outfit. Though Camilla wore a blue dress and tan trench coat, the umbrella was trimmed in a simple black.
According to the BBC, the couple were presented with gifts during a trip to a fair at Weighbridge Place including local duck eggs and seven Jersey cows, who they were able to meet during their walkabout. The event in Jersey was cut short when the couple had to be rushed into a nearby hotel, in what was reportedly a security scare. According to the Independent, the king was eating an ice cream and talking to a local merchant when his security guard interrupted, and he was guided to a nearby hotel along with the queen. After the threat was determined to be a false alarm, the couple continued with their schedule.
The couple stayed overnight at Government House, the official residence of the area’s lieutenant-governor, and it was the first time a British monarch has stayed overnight on the island for more than 350 years. On Tuesday, the couple continued their tour on the island of Guernsey, where they saw traditional dancers and continued a centuries old tradition called a Special Sitting of the “States of Deliberation” where the island’s parliament gathers to celebrate a new monarch.
At one point during the day, the pair split up, and the queen took a trip to see Hauteville House, the home of writer Victor Hugo during his exile from France. During a solo walkabout, the king had got an unusual greeting from one of the island’s residents. After saying hello to the king a 91-year old named Kathleen Moriarty drew him in close while she shook his hand and planted a kiss on his cheek as he walked by. “It was very nice!” Moriarty later told BBC Guernsey.
More Great Stories From Vanity Fair
Inside Kamala Harris’s Loyal Circle of Hollywood Friends
Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance, and the Dangerous Dance of the New Right
The Untold Stories of Humphrey Bogart’s Volatile Life
The Truth About Meghan, Harry, and Their California Dream
Inside California’s Freedom-Loving, Bible-Thumping Hub of Hard Tech
The Best TV Shows of 2024, So Far
Listen Now: VF’s Still Watching Podcast Dissects House of the Dragon