Even before King Charles’s accession, he was very fond of wearing all of his medals and honors at any given moment. It’s gotten worse now that he’s king – during some military events, Charles is weighed down by dozens of medals and special orders, all of them honorary. Like, he didn’t fight in any war, he has not served in combat, and yet he has dozens of shiny medals for being the first-born boy. People are sort of sick of it. Well, Queen Camilla is the same way. In recent years, she’s been gathering up all of the special orders, honors and medals too. But on Thursday, Camilla got something else: an honorary doctorate.
The Queen has been presented with an honorary doctorate by her sister-in-law, the Princess Royal, in recognition of her “personal mission” to promote literacy. The pair travelled together from St James’s Palace to Senate House in Bloomsbury, central London for the rare joint engagement.
Princess Anne, 74, as chancellor of the University of London, presented the Queen, 77, with an Honorary Doctorate of Literature in recognition of her many years championing literacy. In her opening address, the Princess said the annual ceremony was a celebration of “exceptional individuals who have made invaluable contributions in their respective fields”.
Sir Mark Lowcock, chairman of the board of trustees, highlighted the Queen’s ties with the university, which he said dated “back to her formative years” when she attended its institute in Paris, then known as the British Institute in Paris, where she studied French and French literature. He praised her for the way she had “embraced her role as a committed public servant with grace, compassion and tireless energy” since her marriage to the King, pointing out that she was patron or president of more than 100 charities.
“Her commitment to the promotion of literacy and literature stands out as testament to her personal passion and belief in the transformative power of books,” Sir Mark added. “It is only fitting that this Honorary Doctorate of Literature recognises Her Majesty’s exceptional efforts to advance literacy and education not simply as a public duty but as a personal mission inspired by a lifelong love of reading. Her Majesty’s work has touched countless lives and will continue to inspire future generations of readers and writers.”
Previous recipients of the honorary doctorate include George V and Queen Mary (then the Prince and Princess of Wales), Winston Churchill, TS Eliot, and Dame Judi Dench. The Queen has long championed a love of reading and is patron of several literary charities including the National Literacy Trust and Book Aid International. A voracious reader, she established an online book club in January 2021 after receiving an overwhelming response to recommended reading lists she posted on Instagram during lockdown.
Here’s the thing… Camilla loves reading. She loves nothing more than tucking into a bottle of wine and a good book. She’s turned that into one of her “causes” – a soft-focus “literacy” campaign with no teeth, no tangible goals, no actual programs incentivizing reading or intelligent consumption of the written word. She has a book club and that’s it, really. Why does that equal an honorary doctorate?
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
-
- The Princess Royal, in her role as chancellor of the University of London, presents Queen Camilla with an honorary doctorate on the university’s Foundation Day, at Senate House in London Featuring: Queen Camilla, Anne, Princess Royal Where: London, United Kingdom When: 20 Nov 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- The Princess Royal, in her role as chancellor of the University of London, presents Queen Camilla with an honorary doctorate on the university’s Foundation Day, at Senate House in London Featuring: Anne, Princess Royal Where: London, United Kingdom When: 20 Nov 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- Queen Camilla presented with an honorary doctorate on the university’s Foundation Day at Senate House in London Featuring: Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 20 Nov 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- Queen Camilla presented with an honorary doctorate on the university’s Foundation Day at Senate House in London Featuring: Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 20 Nov 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- The Princess Royal, in her role as chancellor of the University of London, presents Queen Camilla with an honorary doctorate on the university’s Foundation Day, at Senate House in London Featuring: Queen Camilla, Anne, Princess Royal Where: London, United Kingdom When: 20 Nov 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Did this woman ever attend college?
Lmao lord no. She was a deeply lazy uninvolved student and she went to finishing school in Switzerland to learn how to keep a house and set a table followed by 6 months at this place studying “French and French literature” before “coming out” as a debutante.
That anyone associated with higher education could say this with a straight face: ‘highlighted the Queen’s ties with the university, which he said dated “back to her formative years” when she attended its institute in Paris, then known as the British Institute in Paris, where she studied French and French literature’ and then go home at night, look in the mirror, and sleep like a baby with all that bile building up in his throat? Unbelievable.
Please, apparently they give these things out to royalty. What did the then-Prince & Princess of Wales (GV & QM) do for the advancement of literature?
Apparently not a single GCE O Level. I stand to be corrected. She has never done a day’s work! Basically, she has been given a medal for joining or forming a book club? Come to Wimbledon Village, there are hundreds of book clubs attended by the elderly and middle age women.
@Maxine
Heck no she NEVER attended college. She seems to look down her nose at it. She felt all she needed to know was HOW TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
Back then women who came of age, became debutantes and looked for a wealthy husband. Camilla not going to University was not rare for women then.
Oh, this ‘back then’ nonsense! She’d’ve been in her early 20s in the late 1960s. The average woman–i.e., not from money–isn’t piddling around until she can find a husband. She’d at least be working and/or going for an actual university degree. Not in the numbers we see today, but still. Camilla’s lifestyle could only have occurred for these ‘upper crust’ types in British society.
At that time only about 7% of Brits. went to university.
Well, yes, the whole “finishing school and then waiting for a wealthy husband” was for the “upper crust” types but Camilla was part of that.
Diana didn’t attend college.
There are lots of reasons to fault Camilla but not attending college when it wasn’t a widely accepted practice at the time and she followed what WAS the accepted practice that other well connected gentry/aristo types followed is a weird criticism.
Yes Beanie That was their lifestyle and ethos.. Kate even carried it into the 21st century, with the degree in MRS.
Anne didn’t attend college, either, but they made her chancellor.
Andrew, again without a college education, was also Chancellor of University. Forgot which one.
Britain is a farce.
Andrew was Chancellor of Huddersfield University.
And Cambridge made Prince Phillip their chancellor.
Camzilla is the king.’s creature. She will be feted and decorated according to the king’s whimsy.🤷🏾♀️
Those folks are only good for making a mockery out of things others deem important.
How lovely for this lazy lush who has never worked a day in her life.
She did work one day as a receptionist then got fired.
Couldn’t agree more.. there is no one more undeserving than she is for any award.
I do believe at that diplomat reception Cams was wearing Charles’ new family order. Can you imagine, walking around with a picture of your husband pinned to your chest????
It did seem odd.
Charles and Camilla are going out in a blaze of glory, leaving William to clean up their mess and save the monarchy. I refuse to believe they can’t read the room. I bet she racks up a ton of medals this year; they’re obituary-building at this point.
Obituary building. Of course!
How come the line is when H&M get awards, “royals give awards, not receive them”? The last award for PH (inclusion in the list for environmental causes) actually assessed impact. Let’s see the assessment of impact on Cam.
Well, the funny thing is that here, it was a royal giving the award – Princess Anne, lmao.
She’s actually patron of a few literacy organizations IIRC and she often visits schools or libraries to promote reading from a young age. Her Queen’s Reading Room has started putting on a large literary festival every year. I will admit that I enjoy her book club because I often learn about new books that I hadn’t heard of before. And one of her first books chosen was The Mirror and the Light which just cracked me up.
So I don’t have any hate for this – out of all the honorary/fake awards they are given, this seems pretty harmless and also pretty on brand.
honestly this is the kind of thing I look for from W&K, and what they are just incapable of doing. Camilla loves reading and over the years she has made “reading” and literacy one of her signature causes. It’s not a huge effort on her part (I do think she has read every book her reading club suggests because often she’ll have Q&As with the author or the like and its clear she read the book, but she probably would have anyway), she gets praised for something she loves doing and would do anyway, etc. Shes not trying to reinvent the wheel or save early years by promoting literacy.
This is what I think Kate should have done with Early Years – rather than try to tell people that early years are important and that people need to focus on them or whatever it is she’s doing or not doing – focus on one thing that she enjoys doing and make that into something that is part of her royal identity. She likes exercising – so make promoting exercise and being active her “thing” among young people. Sponsor playgrounds for schools and community centers. Don’t just show up to a tennis club once a year bc a Wimbledon champion is going to be there.
Camilla gets a lot of credit for her work in this area and probably the majority of it is just fairly softball appearances and reading her favorite books and talking to her favorite authors. but it feels authentic bc its known she loves to read. the same way charles feels authentic when he talks about gardening because its known he really loves gardening.
will and kate both need to find something similar.
It does feel authentic. On a whole, as one of her focuses, it’s not offensive. It works better than Aarly Years does for Kate imo. Now do I think she needs an honorary doctorate? No, no I do not😂
I tend to agree with the above comment from @becks1. I know that Camilla is not everyone’s favourite royal but she does make an effort with her causes unlike some younger members of the family.. She has done quite a lot of events around promoting literacy and reading. It’s a fairly harmless award unlike all the military bling worn by the royal males.
Kate should have sponsored a conference where real experts on Early Years got to present papers. I always thought it tacky of her to pose as an “expert.”
This is also what Will needs to do. He can attack the lack of charisma problem by something he’s passionate about. (Contrary to his statements, he is not passionate about homelessness.) It’s easier to connect with people with whom you are mutually passionate about a cause.
That *must* have stuck in Anne’s craw. Wonder how Charles got her to do it.
Right? Cackling because Anne is supposed to be hell on wheels with the peasants…good for Charles for making her eat some humble pie. And Anne is no fan of Camilla!
Anne dated Andrew Parker Bowles before he married Camilla so there is history going way back. APB has remained friends with both ladies but I suspect the 2 ladies are not close friends.
I think he was her “first time” or so I read. She was besotted with him, but since he was a Catholic it would have been a problem Anne being on the succession list. And Camilla would have fought against it. Camilla got even by getting involved with Charles.
Didn’t the British press and royalists tell us that Royals don’t receive awards they give them out? Where’s the outrage that Camilla is being awarded with an honorary doctorate?
Yes look at the Princess Royal giving the Queen Consort an unearned award.. the rota must have been desperate for a storyline is my only justification for this being reported. It comes across as desperate.
How ridiculous is it that her sister-in-law is awarding her with anything? This comes across as incredibly self-serving of the RF. Surely there are actually living and breathing literature teachers who are more qualified and more influential than this twit. Heck, where’s my award. Everyone in my circle are voracious readers and we pay for books with our own money!
Hoo that is some hateful lighting on Anne. She looks like Gary Oldman in “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”.
As far as things go, this one is benign. How many celebrities have honorary doctorates? A quick google search showed Ed Sheeran, who didn’t finish high school, has one.
It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement, she gets an award and the university gets some publicity.
At least she is known for her love of reading and, as pointed out in a post above, does some work in that field so it isn’t as farfetched as making Kate an honorary Air commandant, Colonel of the Irish Guards, and what else they can think of.
Came here to say Camilla looked actually good in her dark dress with the red robe. Other than Anne…. OMG.
Mossing the bigger issue than the bling: i thought, given the flood of briefings attacking Harry for receiving awards, that royals do not do so. Of course that was nonsense and Cowzilla’s award here gives truth to that lie.
I think she has a few honorary degrees now
Also it costs a crazy amount of money to get to a doctorate level of study and she’s been given it for free ? Yikes.
This is an honorary degree not an actual earned one. It’s just another useless trinket for her to brag about. I doubt she could every write an outline on the cultural influence of any of the books she has read.
How odd, in fact ridiculous for the Queen to
kneel in front of a princess to receive the award.
She should have received it when she was Duchess of Cornwall