The August issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly, on sale July 14, is to feature a rare exclusive interview with The Duchess of Cornwall which took place last month in London.
In the surprisingly personal and wide-ranging interview with Editor-at-Large Juliet Rieden, The Duchess talks about her simple country childhood, how her father was shot and nearly killed by Nazi troops and then captured as a prisoner of war, the pain of losing her mother “too young”, tackling the taboo of domestic violence, why speeches terrify her, learning the royal ropes from Prince Philip and what she feels about The Queen’s wish for her to be Queen Consort.
The Duchess of Cambridge shot this photo of The Duchess of Cornwall exclusively for The Weekly.
(Image: The Duchess of Cambridge)Camilla says she has loved visiting Australia and especially meeting Australians and promises she and Prince Charles will be back very soon.
“I like that everybody’s down to earth and they say what they think. I’d much rather people were out there saying what they think than beating round the bush, telling you a lot of porkies. And I like the Australian humour.”
The Australian Women’s Weekly is to feature a rare exclusive interview with The Duchess of Cornwall.
(Image: The Duchess of Cambridge)The Duchess also reveals lessons learned from her late father-in-law, The Duke of Edinburgh. “The Duke of Edinburgh was always a very good ear. He was a role model to me and a very good person to take advice from because he always told me what he thought.”
And the Duchess shares her trepidation at a major part of her royal work – giving speeches: “I get petrified making speeches,” she admits.
Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge takes photos of The Duchess of Cornwall in the garden of Camilla’s private home in Wiltshire.
(Image: SHONA WILLIAMS)In a joint arrangement with UK’s Country Life magazine, The Weekly features photographs specially taken by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge in the garden of Camilla’s private home in Wiltshire.
These include one beautiful photo shot exclusively for The Australian Women’s Weekly.
“I first met the Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House a decade ago when she was preparing for her inaugural visit to Australia with Prince Charles, and in advance of the tour I was invited to spend a week shadowing her. Since then I have continued to follow the Duchess, but this is the first time she has agreed to a private sit-down interview,” says Juliet Rieden.
The Australian Women’s Weekly Editor-at-Large Juliet Rieden with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
(Image: Juliet Rieden)“I travelled to London to interview The Duchess at her Clarence House home on the first day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Just a few hours before I had been watching the thrilling Trooping the Colour parade from the sidelines with the Duchess seated with her stepdaughter-in-law Catherine, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in a magnificent horse-drawn barouche.
Afterwards Camilla and Prince Charles were due to meet family and grandchildren back at Clarence House, just a stone’s throw away from the Palace, only roads were gridlocked, so they abandoned their car and ventured across Green Park on foot, greeting astonished members of the public en route.
“It was a crazy, busy day and Camilla had a houseful but it was all calm when we sat down together in the Morning Room with the doors open to the garden and the sun streaming in. I have always found the Duchess to be warm, friendly and a lot of fun, and she was all those things when we spoke. She was also full of emotion as we spoke of her late parents.”
Read the full interview in The Australian Women’s Weekly August issue. ON SALE July 14.
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