Camilla, Queen Consort showed off her impressive knowledge of antiques as she visited the Eden Project to take part in a special episode of the Antiques Roadshow.
The Cornish attraction’s two enormous “biome” greenhouses hosted the BBC show’s various experts as locals brought their prized possessions and family heirlooms along to be valued.
Dressed in a green floral print dress by London-based designer Fiona Clare, Camilla looked stunning as she brought along two of her own items to be valued last September, with the highly anticipated episode finally airing on Sunday night.
The items selected by the Queen Consort included a rare snuffbox from the Royal Collection made from Cornish silver and a copy of Elegy In A Country Churchyard by poet Thomas Gray.
Silver specialist Duncan Campbell was thrilled to be able to examine the snuffbox due to it being the first all-English silver he had seen in his career.
Meanwhile, books expert Justin Croft also admired Camilla’s copy of Gray’s work as she described her love for the poem on the one-off show.
While on the show, Camilla also took part in the “Guess the Mystery Object” game with jewellery expert Geoffrey Munn, before taking a scenic walk through the Eden Project’s famous gardens with the show’s presenter Fiona Bruce.
Later in the jam packed day, Camilla met with 16-year-old Dylan Kilpatrick and his mother Amanda Fishlock, from Cornwall, who had brought along a painting by their ancestor, 19th century artist Robert Ponsonby Staples, which featured a family on a seaside outing.
Speaking a little about the painting, Amanda explained that the artist was a relative on her mother’s side, which is how the painting came to be in their possession.
The Duchess also appeared to be a fan, as Dylan shared what Camilla had thought of the painting during a brief chat.
She said she was jealous!” explained a delighted Dylan. “She said she really liked the figure in the foreground.”
The impressive art work also came with a respectable price tag too, with Antiques Roadshow expert Frances Christie giving the painting a valuation of between £300 and £500.
Camilla also spoke with another attendee, Sandra Matthews, 77, who brought along a prayer book that she believes once belonged to the famous 19th century French actress Sarah de Bernhardt.
Sandra revealed that she had bought the book 30 years ago and found the actress’s name written on the fly leaf.
“Camilla was really interested because she knew who Sarah de Bernhardt was,” she explained.
The Duchess also met with former cabinet maker Christopher Thorp, who had a book of furniture prices printed by the London Cabinet Makers Union in 1811.
Although he had started out as a cabinet maker, Christopher has since retrained as a tropical ecologist working for Plymouth University, but it was his former vocation that really sparked Camilla’s interest as she asked him about his former trade and his interest in the history of the craft.
Taking to Twitter as the episode aired, several viewers could hardly believe that the Queen Consort herself was appearing on the very special episode.
“The Queen as she’s now known, looking as lovely as ever,” wrote one fan.
While another added: “Seeing Camilla on Antiques Roadshow makes her seem so much more normal. Like somebody’s cheerful Gran.”
Before a third added: “Camilla came across very nice on #antiquesroadshow There. I've said it.”
The Antiques Roadshow airs at 8pm Sunday on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer
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