Camilla – a literature lover – looked glamourous for the event at London’s Round House, wearing a black lace cocktail dress by Fiona Clare and diamond earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Her sibling Annabel, 73, opted for a black trouser suit paired with a crisp white shirt. Camilla, 75, was there to meet with shortlisted authors and present the winner with his prize in what was the first fully in-person Booker Prize awards ceremony since 2019.
One of the first people she met was Dua Lipa, who delivered a speech at the event about her love of reading. During her conversation with Camilla, the New Rules singer appeared to say “No singing tonight” – but she later led a rendition of Happy Birthday to shortlisted author Alan Garner, who turned 88 on Monday.
Eve Smith, secretary of the Booker Prize Foundation, said Camilla enjoys the event and takes an interest in the authors.
Speaking in the drinks reception area ahead of the sit-down dinner, Ms Smith said that as it was the first in-person ceremony since the pandemic, people could expect it to be “reimagined” and “something new”.
She said: “It’s great to have Her Majesty here because she does really take an interest in the authors, and even if she can’t come in previous years she’s always made sure that she sees them, whether it was at St James’s Palace.
“And so, when we found out that she was going to come – we’d sort of assumed that she wouldn’t, just, you know, when the Queen died and she became the Queen Consort, we sort of assumed this might be one of the things that she had to let go, but no, she’s here, so it’s great.
“She enjoys being here. I think it’s one of those things where, although there is obviously formality around it, there is also a degree of informality that she really appreciates.”
