Camilla is welcomed by her adorable rescue Jack Russells Beth and Bluebell during a visit to Lacock

Camilla was warmly welcomed by her adorable rescue Jack Russells Beth and Bluebell during a visit to Lacock today admitting ‘it’s lovely to be back here.’

The Queen Consort planted a tree at St Cyriac’s Church as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy which is the initiative launched in October 2021 to mark the late monarch’s Platinum Jubilee.  

The royal has strong links with Lacock as she owns a private home in the Wiltshire village and in 2006, Camilla’s daughter Laura Lopes got married at St Cyriac’s Church. 

The royal appeared in great spirits as she petted her cute pooches after a long day of engagements which started  at the Royal Osteoporosis Society offices in Bath.

While inside St Cyriac’s Church she viewed a photograph of herself and her husband, the King, at her daughter’s wedding and she later popped into the village store which has kept her police bodyguards fuelled on home-made quiches and cakes for years.

Lacock is just a few minutes from Ray Mill, the private home she bought following her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles in the 1990s and still uses as a bolt-hole today.   

The Queen Consort discussed fundraising efforts for St Cyriac’s sister church of St Anne’s at Bowden Hill and was shown a replica of the famous Lacock Cup, a rare 15th century drinking vessel that was sold to the British Museum for £1.2 million.

Outside she planted a Hawthorne tree in tribute to her late mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, as part of her Platinum Jubilee Queen’s Green Canopy initiative.

Then it was time for a wander down the High Street she had once been able to visit in relative anonymity before she married into the Royal Family.

This time a large crowd had gathered as news of her presence spread and Camilla, dressed in a smart brown wool coat and black boots, happily shook hands, cooed over babies and gave countless dogs a stroke.

She was cheered on by flag-waving children from the Lacock Church of England Primary School and Wise Owls Pre-School.

Camilla couldn’t resist popping into the OLIV Shop, founded in 2020 by Oliver Thomas and Olivia Spickernel which is a small homegrown business making hand poured soy wax candles and gifts.

‘I shall be back here to do a bit of shopping as soon as I can,’ the royal promised.

She also visited the National Trust store and revealed there was ‘lot of goodies here.’ 

After that she went to Lacock Village Shop, Post Office, and Deli which is Located in the High Street and run by Sam Thomas and Ellie Crosby.

Camilla told the owners that her policemen are frequent visitors to the shop at lunchtime. 

‘They absolutely love the quiches,’ she said, and urged her equerry to pick up some snacks for his journey back to London.

Ellie said afterwards: ‘We opened two years ago during lockdown but it’s been great. It’s a beautiful, quiet village but there are plenty of visitors and tourists. 

‘These are our quietest weeks of the year, so it’s wonderful that Her Majesty has taken the time to come and shine a spotlight on local independent businesses.’

Camilla was accompanied on the visit by two old friends, Sarah Troughton, Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire, and Lady Landsdowne, Wiltshire’s new High Sheriff, both of whom live locally and are now Queen’s Companions, the modern-day equivalent of a lady in waiting. 

Both women are among six unpaid female companions who will accompany the Queen Consort on high profile engagements, often instead of a private secretary or a deputy private secretary.

The change is part of Camilla’s modernising approach to her role as the king’s wife.

Earlier in the day she arrived at the newly opened offices to speak to staff, volunteers and the helpline team as she is a long term supporter of the charity. 

In 1997, the royal became a patron of the charity and she was President of ROS up until the accession of His Majesty The King. 

Camilla was greeted by Lord Lieutenant for Somerset, Mohammed Saddiq, during her visit and she later joined a reception of 120 invited guests who focus on highlighting ROS’s work and impact.

Her Majesty first became a supporter of the charity in 1994, when her mother died as a result of osteoporosis. 

Camilla’s grandmother also suffered from the disease, and passed away in 1986. 

The royal was recognised for her work with the charity and later became President of the Royal Osteoporosis Society in October 2001. 

In 2007, Camilla even received the Kohn Foundation Award in recognition of her contribution to raising awareness of osteoporosis. 

Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to fracture or break easily due to loss of strength. 

Over 3.5 million people in the UK are estimated to have osteoporosis and half of women over 50 and one in five men will break a bone due to the condition. 

In a 2021 interview with Gloria Hunniford for the BBC to mark World Osteoporosis Day, Camilla recalled an awful memory of her mother’s battle.

She said: ‘I remember when a friend of hers came in one day just to give her a hug, her rib broke, it was as bad as that.

‘It was terrible because we didn’t know anything about it, so at some point we thought, ‘Well, is she making a great fuss about all this?

Camilla added that her mother’s condition was so bad that ‘occasionally when she moved or you touched her she literally screamed’. 

Writing exclusively in the Daily Mail in 2011 Camilla described the horror of watching her mother suffer with the bone disease.  

She said: ‘Seeing someone you love die slowly, in agony, and knowing nothing about the disease that killed them is heart-breaking,’ she writes.

‘In those days osteoporosis, a crippling bone disease, was seldom discussed, rarely diagnosed and usually attributed to old women with so-called ‘Dowagers’ humps’.

‘My family and I watched in horror as my mother quite literally shrank in front of our eyes. She lost about eight inches in height and became so bent that she was unable to digest her food properly, leaving her with no appetite at all.

‘The local GP was kind and sympathetic but he, like us, was able to do little to alleviate the terrible pain Mama suffered so stoically.

‘In her later years she could not breathe without oxygen or totter around her beloved garden on her Zimmer frame.

‘I believe that the quality of her life became so dismal, and her suffering so unbearable, that she just gave up the fight and lost the will to live.’

Later on in the day Camilla joined a reception of 120 invited guests who have been raising awareness of the Royal Osteoporosis Society throughout the region. 

The royal enjoyed some digital presentations which highlighted the incredible work and impact that the charity has made over the years. 

During the reception, Craig Jones, Royal Osteoporosis Society Chief Executive gave a short speech and invited Her Majesty to unveil a plaque, commemorating the opening of the new offices.