Prince Charles and Camilla appeared in high spirits as they explored King Arthur’s Tintagel castle today during a visit to Cornwall.
The Prince of Wales, 71, and the Duchess of Cornwall, 73, soaked up the sunshine while taking in the sights of the medieval landmark, which is said to be the birthplace of the mythical King Arthur.
The royals cut the ribbon of the new Tintagel bridge, which is set over a 190ft gorge and connects the castle to the mainland, before strolling through the ruins and posing for snaps on the lookout point.
The visit marked the first in their three day trip to the county, which comes after the couple celebrated Camilla’s 73rd birthday last week at her private home of Raymill in Wiltshire.
Prince Charles, 71, and Camilla, 73, appeared in high spirits as they soaked up the sunshine during a visit to Cornwall today
The couple posed for snaps at a lookout point while visiting the Tintagel Castle in the north of the county
Prince Charles and Camilla appeared relaxed as they took in the sights of the castle during their visit to the landmark
Prince Charles and Camilla, who takes her royal title from the county, beamed as they arrived for the socially distanced engagement, which saw them exploring the ruins of the castle on the coast.
The Duchess donned a smart blue dress for the occasion with a pair of summery tan shoes and added a pair of dark sunglasses to shield her eyes from the sun.
Her blonde bob was styled in an impeccable blow-dry, and she sported a dash of blush for a healthy glow.
She wrapped a white pashmina around her shoulders at one stage of the visit as the couple walked up to visit the ruins of the castle.
The couple beamed while posing for a photograph after officially opening the Tintagel bridge, which is set over a 190ft gorge
Prince Charles and Camilla appeared in high spirits as they walked across the new Tintagel bridge, which connects the medieval castle to the mainland
Meanwhile Prince Charles grinned broadly as he snipped the ribbon the the Tintagel bridge, which was unveiled in 2019 after a £5million redevelopment.
After making their way across the bridge, the couple went on to explore the castle together in the sunshine.
Later, the royals donned sunglasses as they signed their names on slates that will be incorporated into the bridge.
The sleek bridge of steel, oak and Cornish slate was unveiled in September last year and means tourists are no longer confronted with a demanding trek up and down a steep path.
Prince Charles and Camilla strolled while visiting a lookout point close to the bridge to enjoy the summer sunshine
The Duchess wrapped a white pashmina around her shoulders while Prince Charles smoothed down his hair during their visit
The couple posed for photographs as they took in the stunning views from a lookout point close to the ridge on Tintagel Castle island
Inspired by the legend of King Arthur, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, built the castle on the jagged headland in the 13th century.
A rock bridge linking one part of the castle on the mainland to the rest inspired its name, which comes from the Cornish Din Tagell, meaning ‘the Fortress of the Narrow Entrance’.
Medieval scholar Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote that ‘three armed men would be able to defend [it], even if you had the whole kingdom of Britain at your side’.
The royal visit comes after the couple celebrated the Duchess’ 73rd birthday last week.
Prince Charles and Camilla donned sunglasses as they signed their names on slates that will be incorporated into the bridge
Camilla, who has been married to the Prince of Wales for 15 years, spent the day with her family at Raymill, her private Wiltshire home.
She has spoken of how much she has been enjoying seeing her grandchildren – although not touching them yet – after returning from Scotland where she spent lockdown.
The Duchess is now back doing a limited number of socially-distanced public engagements.
She spent the day before her birthday in London, where she paid tribute to the Chelsea Pensioners who lost their lives during the coronavirus pandemic on a visit to their London home.