Happy birthday to Queen Camilla!King Charles’ wife turned 79 on July 17, celebrating her big day with a royal portrait.
The royals recently posted the photo on their official Instagram page along with a special message reading, “Happy Birthday to The Queen!” The birthday wish also included an unexpected gift. But this one isn’t for the Queen.
Instead, it’s for the children of the UK: “Her Majesty has marked her birthday with a renewed commitment to supporting children’s literacy, with the announcement that every Year 6 and P6 child across the UK will be gifted a special edition of the bestselling book ‘Impossible Creatures’ by award-winning author Katherine Rundell, this Christmas.”
Fans flocked to the post, sending their birthday love to Camilla. And of course, her family also honored the Queen on this special day. Prince William and Kate Middleton shared the portrait of Camilla on their Instagram Stories, adding the title, “Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very Happy Birthday!”
What did Queen Camilla wear in her birthday portrait?
Camilla posed in a classic royal blue dress, accented with a sapphire butterfly pin. Eagle-eyed royal watchers might remember this look (by designer Fiona Clare) from a 2024 meeting the Queen and her husband had with the Emperor and Empress of Japan at Buckingham Palace in June of 2024. According to recent reports, the new portrait was taken in the State Drawing Room at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland last month.
As it turns out, the brooch is more than just another fancy piece of jewelry. The butterfly was presented to Queen Elizabeth II at the Birmingham Spring Fair almost half a century ago, in 1977.
Why is Queen Camilla marking her birthday with a gift for children?
As her birthday post says, “Led by the National Literacy Trust, of which the Queen is Patron, the programme celebrates the National Year of Reading 2026.”
Camilla is a deeply involved children’s literacy advocate who has championed the cause through the National Literacy Trust, The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, The Queen’s Reading Room, and other charities/organizations.
She explained her love for books on the Queen’s Reading Room website, writing, “With their extraordinary power to educate and inspire, books—from authors around the globe—have enriched my life since I was a child. It has therefore been such a joy to watch my Reading Room grow over the years into a thriving book community.”
The Duchess of Cornwall continued her literacy quest on the royal couple’s recent trip to the United States. Queen Camilla visited the New York Public Library, reading ‘Winnie the Pooh’ to schoolchildren and gifting the library a ‘Roo’ doll.
This story was originally published by Parade on Jul 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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