Camilla’s Country Life has divided opinion – with some viewers claiming the Duchess of Cornwall appeared ‘full of herself’ and a ‘hypocrite’ for telling people to ‘be considerate’ after her affair with Prince Charles, while others said she’ll be an ‘amazing’ Queen Consort.
The ITV documentary, which aired last night, followed the royal as she guest edited this month’s issue of Country Life to mark her 75th birthday on Sunday and the 125th anniversary of the magazine.
Cameras filmed Camilla as she went to an exhibition in Manchester which showed photos of domestic abuse survivors, visited the Grand National, toured her grandparents’ former Hampshire manor and attended the Royal Cornwall Show.
Asked during the one-hour special what guidance she would offer her younger self, the Duchess said: ‘Well, I think I’d remember what my parents, the advice they gave me, which is try and be considerate of others.
‘I think that’s a very important thing to learn in life… and I think, you know, I’d give the same advice to my children and my grandchildren.’
However, some viewers branded the royal a ‘hypocrite’ over her comments and referred to her affair with the Prince of Wales, before they were married and he was instead wed to Princess Diana. Yet others insisted Camilla will be an ‘amazing’ Queen Consort.
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Camilla’s Country Life has divided opinion – with some viewers claiming the Duchess of Cornwall (pictured) appeared ‘full of herself’ and a ‘hypocrite’ for telling people to ‘be considerate’ after her affair with Prince Charles, while others said she’ll be an ‘amazing’ Queen Consort
The ITV documentary, which aired last night, followed the royal (pictured with her husband, Prince Charles) as she guest edited this month’s issue of Country Life to mark her 75th birthday on Sunday and the 125th anniversary of the magazine
Some viewers branded the royal a ‘hypocrite’ over her comments and referred to her affair with the Prince of Wales, before they were married and he was instead wed to Princess Diana
The Duchess and Prince Charles insist their romantic relationship only resumed in 1986 – by which time the marriage between Diana and the Prince of Wales had, as the future King himself put it in a TV documentary, ‘irretrievably broken down’.
Yet some viewers were still unimpressed with Camilla’s remarks about being considerate, with one person writing on Twitter: ‘If this is PR from [Buckingham Palace] to try and get people to like her, I don’t think it’s going well. So full of herself.’
Another said: ‘Be considerate of others… jarring given Camilla’s history with Charles and Diana.’
A third added: ‘The hypocrisy of Camilla on Camilla’s Country Life. “Do unto others” and “Try and be considerate of others”. Yeah, just like you and [Prince Charles] when you conducted your affair while both married to other people.’
However, it wasn’t all negative reviews, with some Twitter users praising the programme and applauding Camilla’s work.
Cameras filmed Camilla (pictured) as she went to an exhibition in Manchester which showed photos of domestic abuse survivors, visited the Grand National, toured her grandparents’ former Hampshire manor and attended the Royal Cornwall Show
‘What a lovely programme. Showing us a caring, emphatic Duchess. She will be a great Queen Consort,’ said one person.
Another wrote: ‘What a wonderful lady, so down to earth. She will make an amazing Queen Consort. The countryside needs champions like her.’
A third person said online: ‘Fabulous programme. Always liked her! And she makes Prince Charles so happy! A terrific Queen Consort in waiting!’
Royal biographer Angela Levin appeared on the programme and commented on Camilla’s journey in the public eye.
‘She was once described in a newspaper as the most wicked woman on earth, and the most disliked woman on earth, and now here she is, it’s the most extraordinary journey,’ she said.
While Sarah Troughton, one of the Queen’s cousins and a friend of Camilla’s, said: ‘I think there has been a wind of change in the Duchess’ popularity.
Reaction: Yet others insisted Camilla will be an ‘amazing’ Queen Consort after watching the programme
‘But I think that’s because she’s been entirely natural, entirely straight with everybody… and does her royal duties with real panache and style and the public are very happy to meet her.’
Elsewhere in the documentary, the Duchess hailed survivors of domestic violence as ‘so brave’ for speaking out about the abuse they suffered.
As she was filmed for the production, the royal visited an exhibition in Manchester which showed photographs of people who had survived domestic abuse.
Speaking to the film crew, Camilla said she wanted to draw attention to the problem of domestic violence in her issue of Country Life.
The Duchess, who is a patron of Safelives, a UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, met with Allie Crewe, who took the photo series of survivors.
Elsewhere, the Duchess of Cornwall, 74, met with Allie Crewe (left) who photographed survivors of domestic abuse as part of an exhibition during the programme
Speaking to the cameras Camilla said she thought survivors of domestic violence were ‘very brave’ to speak about their experiences
Camilla said: ‘It’s incredibly moving. It’s so brave of these women… to get up and talk about it when some of them have sat on it for years and years and years.’
The Duchess added it was ‘a very brave thing to do’.
Speaking with a male survivor of domestic violence who appeared in Allie’s exhibition, Camilla said she was ‘glad’ to meet him.
The Duchess told him: ‘You were the brave man in the exhibition. I sometimes think men get a bit overlooked. I think people think “it’s all women and it doesn’t happen to men” but it jolly well does.’
Speaking to a male survivor of domestic violence the Duchess of Cornwall said she felt men were ‘overlooked’ when it comes to the issue
Photographer Allie Crewe walked Camilla around the exhibition, which she described as ‘incredibly moving’
The Duchess confirmed she wanted to make a mention of domestic violence in her edition of Country Life – particularly in rural areas.
‘I wanted to point out that in the countryside, it’s not all rosy. There are darker things happening, especially in rural areas where they don’t get quite as much attention as they do in these big cities,’ she said.
Viewers took to Twitter to praise Camilla for her work on domestic violence.
One person wrote: ‘I firmly believe that HRH’s work to support those who’ve experienced domestic abuse and the related organisations, whilst often passing by under the radar (at her choosing) will be one of the things that defines her work and role in years to come.’