King Charles met up with British farming families at the opening of a new exhibition at London’s Somerset House on Wednesday morning, while across town Queen Camilla was a vision in blue during a visit to the Charles Dickens House Museum for its 100th anniversary.
The King kept warm in a long navy coat as he greeted and laughed with guests and officials while entering the building.
Inside, the 76-year-old, who is the Patron of The Royal Countryside Fund, was guided through the venue’s latest exhibit SOIL: The World at Our Feet showcasing ‘the power and potential of soil and the crucial role it plays in the environment.
Charles took off his coat to reveal a grey pin-striped suit with a blue-patterned tie and a matching checked pocket square.
He looked enthralled as he browsed the interactive displays of projected images, artful paper diagrams and informative instalments.
The King’s visit coincides with Somerset House’s 25th anniversary and he unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.
Charles met with guests and farming families who regaled the king with details of the Regenerative Agriculture roundtable they attended earlier that morning.
King Charles III met up with British farming families at the opening of a new exhibition at London’s Somerset House on Wednesday morning
Meanwhile, across town, Queen Consort Camilla was a vision in blue during a visit to the Charles Dickens House Museum for its 100th anniversary
The King kept warm in a long navy coat as he greeted and laughed with guests and officials while entering the building
Inside, the 76-year-old, who is the Patron of The Royal Countryside Fund, was guided through the venue’s latest exhibit SOIL: The World at Our Feet
He looked enthralled as he browsed the interactive displays of projected images, artful paper diagrams and informative instalments
He looked to enjoy his chats and was laughing and joking with multiple groups as he mingled through the crowd.
Taking advantage of the balmy 16C spring weather, the king forwent his coat leaving the Somerset House as he waved to the crowd of fans waiting outside to get a peep of the royal.
Queen Camilla did not accompany her husband at Somerset House as she had her own engagement.
The 77-year-old spoke of the ‘thrill’ of revisiting Charles Dickens’ London home today, revealing her favourite book was A Tale of Two Cities as she met three of his direct descendants.
She was visiting the house at 48 Doughty Street in Bloomsbury to celebrate 100 years since the house was opened to the public in 1925, after it was saved from demolition and renovated by The Dickens Fellowship.
‘It is such a great to be back again, a real thrill,’ she said.
She was given a tour of the house by his great-great-grandson, Mark, where Dickens lived as a newly-married husband, father and journalist between 1837 and 1839.
Indeed the author wrote one of his most famous works, A Christmas Carol, in the very study that more than 50,000 fans visit each year.
Among the items she saw were a famous lost portrait of Dickens recently acquired by the museum, as well as manuscripts, letters and even the suit he wore shortly before he died. ‘He was tiny!’ the Queen, wearing a brilliant blue dress, exclaimed. ‘It looks like it was made yesterday.’
Charles took off his coat to reveal a grey pin-striped suit with a blue-patterned tie and a matching checked pocket square
The King’s visit coincides with Somerset House’s 25th anniversary and he unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion
He looked to enjoy his chats and was laughing and joking with multiple groups as he mingled through the crowd
Taking advantage of the balmy 16C spring weather, the king forwent his coat leaving the Somerset House as he waved to the crowd of fans waiting outside to get a peep of the royal
Queen Camilla spoke of the ‘thrill’ of revisiting Charles Dickens’ London home today, revealing her favourite book was A Tale of Two Cities as she met three of his direct descendants
She was visiting the house at 48 Doughty Street in Bloomsbury to celebrate 100 years since the house was opened to the public in 1925, after it was saved from demolition and renovated by The Dickens Fellowship
She was given a tour of the house by his great-great-grandson, Mark, where Dickens lived as a newly-married husband, father and journalist between 1837 and 1839
She also appeared deeply moved as she visited the bedroom of his sister-in-law, Mary Hogarth, with her nightie still laid on the four poster bed.
Hogarth died in Dickens’ arms at the age of 17 from what is believed to have been a brain aneurysm, an experience that moved him deeply and inspired many of his characters including Rose Maylie in Oliver Twist, Little Nell from The Old Curiosity Shop and Dora in David Copperfield.
‘I looking at that and imagining that someone is lying there,’ she said, gesturing to the nightgown on the bed.
‘It’s a tragic tale, awful. I feel quite traumatised.’
Dickens was still wearing the ring he took from Mary’s finger when he himself died at the age of 58.
It was worn today by his great-great-great-grandson, Ollie Dickens, and handed over to the Queen to hold. Looking at it carefully, she handed it back saying: ‘Don’t worry, I won’t nick it!’
Camilla was also treated to a reading from the seminal festive classic A Christmas Carol by actor Simon Callow, a museum trustee, as well as excerpts from his often hilarious personal letters by Callow and actress Miriam Margolyes.
‘You can read it and re-read it [A Christmas Carol] and always find something new,’ she told Callow.
Among the items she saw were manuscripts, letters and even the suit Dickens wore shortly before he died. ‘He was tiny!’ the Queen exclaimed. ‘It looks like it was made yesterday.’
She also appeared deeply moved as she visited the bedroom of his sister-in-law, Mary Hogarth, with her nightie still laid on the four poster bed
Camilla was treated to a reading from A Christmas Carol by actor Simon Callow, a museum trustee, as well as excerpts from his personal letters by Callow and actress Miriam Margolyes
The actor told the Queen that he first saw it on stage when he was six and it ‘scared the devil out of me’. ‘Well that scared me too,’ she laughed afterwards.
She greeted Margolyes with a warm kiss and told her: ‘We are going to have you in full cry!’
The actress told her how Dickens’ readings of his own works were so famous that he made more money out of them than his stories themselves – and used to count how many people fainted when he read aloud the moment that Nancy was murdered by Bill Sykes in Oliver Twist.
‘I can believe that,’ Camilla said. ‘Well, we will try very hard not to faint today.’
Camilla took a seat to listen as she and Callow read extracts from some of the 14,000 letters he wrote during his lifetime including one from 1863, seven years before he died, complaining about a hall clock which had been returned broken after being cleaned. Camilla got the giggle as Margolyes read: ‘Although a happy release for the clock, this is not convenient to the household.’
And she roared out loud as Callow read another extract about Dickens returning home drunk in the early hours of the morning in 1836, saying: ‘I arrived home at 1 o’clock this morning, dead drunk, and was put to bed by my loving missus. ‘
‘That was a treat and I’m glad we didn’t faint,’ she smiled.
Chatting with Margolyes afterwards the Queen said that A Tale of Two Cities ‘was my favourite’. ‘I know you said it is not your favourite but I love it,’ she said.
Camilla spoke of the ‘thrill’ of revisiting Charles Dickens’ revealing her favourite book was A Tale of Two Cities as she met three of his direct descendants.
She was visiting the house at 48 Doughty Street in Bloomsbury to celebrate 100 years since the house was opened to the public in 1925, after it was saved from demolition and renovated by The Dickens Fellowship.
‘It is such a great to be back again, a real thrill,’ she said.
She was given a tour of the house by his great-great-grandson, Mark, where Dickens lived as a newly-married husband, father and journalist between 1837 and 1839.
Indeed the author wrote one of his most famous works, A Christmas Carol, in the very study that more than 50,000 fans visit each year.
Among the items she saw were a famous lost portrait of Dickens recently acquired by the museum, as well as manuscripts, letters and even the suit he wore shortly before he died. ‘He was tiny!’ the Queen, wearing a brilliant blue dress, exclaimed. ‘It looks like it was made yesterday.’
She also appeared deeply moved as she visited the bedroom of his sister-in-law, Mary Hogarth, with her nightie still laid on the four poster bed.
Hogarth died in Dickens’ arms at the age of 17 from what is believed to have been a brain aneurysm, an experience that moved him deeply and inspired many of his characters including Rose Maylie in Oliver Twist, Little Nell from The Old Curiosity Shop and Dora in David Copperfield.
‘ I looking at that and imagining that someone is lying there,’ she said, gesturing to the nightgown on the bed.
‘It’s a tragic tale, awful. I feel quite traumatised.’
Dickens was still wearing the ring he took from Mary’s finger when he himself died at the age of 58.
It was worn today by his great-great-great-grandson, Ollie Dickens, and handed over to the Queen to hold. Looking at it carefully, she handed it back saying: ‘Don’t worry, I won’t nick it!’
Camilla was also treated to a reading from the seminal festive classic A Christmas Carol by actor Simon Callow, a museum trustee, as well as excerpts from his often hilarious personal letters by Callow and actress Miriam Margolyes.
‘You can read it and re-read it [A Christmas Carol] and always find something new,’ she told Callow.
The actor told the Queen that he first saw it on stage when he was six and it ‘scared the devil out of me’. ‘Well that scared me too,’ she laughed afterwards.
She greeted Margolyes with a warm kiss and told her: ‘We are going to have you in full cry!’
The actress told her how Dickens’ readings of his own works were so famous that he made more money out of them than his stories themselves – and used to count how many people fainted when he read aloud the moment that Nancy was murdered by Bill Sykes in Oliver Twist.
‘I can believe that,’ Camilla said. ‘Well, we will try very hard not to faint today.’
Camilla took a seat to listen as she and Callow read extracts from some of the 14,000 letters he wrote during his lifetime including one from 1863, seven years before he died, complaining about a hall clock which had been returned broken after being cleaned. Camilla got the giggle as Margolyes read: ‘Although a happy release for the clock, this is not convenient to the household.’
And she roared out loud as Callow read another extract about Dickens returning home drunk in the early hours of the morning in 1836, saying: ‘I arrived home at 1 o’clock this morning, dead drunk, and was put to bed by my loving missus. ‘
‘That was a treat and I’m glad we didn’t faint,’ she smiled.
Chatting with Margolyes afterwards the Queen said that A Tale of Two Cities ‘was my favourite’. ‘I know you said it is not your favourite but I love it,’ she said.