Queen Camilla shared that her husband, King Charles, is “progressing positively” during his cancer treatment.
The 76-year-old monarch, on a solo excursion to Northern Ireland for two days, disclosed this information to supporters while visiting The Arcadia deli in Belfast. Brenda Robb, a shop assistant, presented a get-well card for the king and conveyed her heartfelt wishes.
Taking the card with thanks, Camilla said: “He’s doing very well. He was very disappointed he couldn’t come.” Responding to a quip about men “not being the best patients,” she added: “I try to keep him in order.”
Originally slated to accompany his wife on a trip to Northern Ireland, Charles, aged 75, had to alter his plans due to a cancer diagnosis earlier this year, leading to the postponement of his public engagements.
Despite this, the Queen, who last visited the region in May 2023 alongside the King shortly after his coronation, decided to proceed with the trip alone, maintaining elements of her own itinerary.
On Thursday morning, in addition to her visit to the delicatessen where she received a variety of charcuterie, cheese, and local meats, Camilla toured two other family-operated shops along the lively Lisburn Road: Coffey’s Butcher, in operation since 1929, and Knotts Bakery.
There, she interacted with business proprietors and staff, who showcased their favorite culinary offerings, and she was presented with bags of local produce to bring back home to the King.
At the butchers, the Queen was introduced to some of the three generations of the family who run it, remarking: “My gosh there are a lot of you!”
Inspecting the meat counter, she said: “My goodness me, what a great selection,” and asked: “All of these are locally sourced? What do you sell the most of? It’s wonderful, it’s all very tempting. It’s lovely to see you thriving.”
Camilla was handed some of the shop’s specialties, including vegetable rolls, beef sausages, and Belfast pickle. “I shall take these back to my husband, he will really make the most of them,” she said.
At Knotts Bakery, the royal was briefed on its traditional Ulster baking techniques, which involve no machinery. The family-run enterprise employs 120 individuals. She received a fruit loaf and iced madeira, joking that she couldn’t guarantee to bring them home to the King. Co-owner William Corrie, 38, mentioned, “She said she’d eat some of them on the way home.”
Mr. Corrie and his wife, former Miss Northern Ireland and Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon, welcomed Camilla, along with their one-year-old son Fitz, who captured attention in his tuxedo. “We have a natural for the cameras,” Salmon remarked with a grin as she watched him.
Later that day, Camilla returned to her royal residence, Hillsborough Castle in County Down, where she had lodged the previous night. A bugler from the Hillsborough Ford Guard played to commemorate her arrival.
For her final engagement of the day, Camilla attended an event hosted by The Queen’s Reading Room charity, titled Northern Ireland: Poets and Their Place, to celebrate World Poetry Day. There, she mingled with authors and actors, and enjoyed spoken-word performances by Derry Girls star Ian McElhinney, actress Frances Tomelty, and contemporary poet Michael Longley. Camilla, who has a longstanding passion for literature, launched The Duchess of Cornwall’s Reading Room Instagram account in January 2021, providing a platform for book enthusiasts to connect and access her recommendations under her previous title.
The Queen had flown into Northern Ireland from the Isle of Man, where she spent Wednesday afternoon bestowing city status upon the capital, Douglas. During a public appearance outside Douglas Borough Council, she was introduced to Rachael Hughes, a 38-year-old mother, and her 15-week-old twin boys, Louie and Oliver.
