While it’s natural to assume the royal family stays connected with the latest technology, Queen Camilla prefers a more traditional approach.
She uses a classic ’90s Nokia “brick” phone, meaning she can’t join her family’s WhatsApp group, as her old-school phone doesn’t support the app.
This detail was shared by Camilla’s son, Tom Parker Bowles, in an interview with Woman & Home magazine.
When asked if his family has a WhatsApp group, he replied, “We do—my children, my sister, and cousins—but my mum still uses an old-fashioned Nokia, so she can’t join. I think it’s for security.”
Queen Elizabeth II reportedly had a slightly more advanced phone during her reign, but according to Gyles Brandreth’s book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, she too was “defeated by apps.” Brandreth wrote, “She understood texting but was rather stumped by apps,” and noted that she didn’t allow phones at the dining table, regardless of the occasion.
In a recent candid interview, Tom spoke openly about life as part of the royal family. He shared that his mother, Queen Camilla, was a wonderful mother and described his protectiveness toward her when she was thrust into the public eye. “Especially during the mid-’90s—the paparazzi aggression, the shouting, and the lack of a support network. I remember dangerous high-speed chases down the M4.”
When asked if he ever felt anger or resentment toward her, he responded, “No. Never, never, never. She has always been—and this is not just PR—such a good mother.”
Tom added that his family, including his father, retired army officer Andrew Parker Bowles, whom Camilla married in 1973 and divorced in 1995, is laid-back. “We all gather around the table. We all love food. We all love a drink.”
