Queen Camilla seen for the first time since King Charles hospital admission

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GB News
Dorothy Reddin

By Dorothy Reddin


Published: 01/04/2025

- 16:12

The Queen was photographed at an exhibition outside Buckingham Palace

Queen Camilla has made her first public appearance since King Charles's hospital admission.

The 77-year-old Queen visited the "Green Man Humpty Dumpty Egg", installed outside the King's Gallery at Buckingham Palace.


The special egg sculpture forms part of a larger charity initiative across London.

During her visit, the Queen met with the egg's artist and representatives from the Elephant Family charity.

Queen Camilla

Queen Camilla seen for the first time since King Charles hospital admission

PA

The egg was painted by London-based artist Alice Shirley and commissioned by the King and Queen in their capacity as joint Presidents of Elephant Family.

The leafy green design was inspired by Charles and Camilla's love of nature and conservation.

It serves as a celebration of the natural world, reflecting Their Majesties' commitment to environmental causes.

The distinctive artwork showcased Shirley's talent for depicting natural themes through her handcrafted approach.

Queen Camilla

Queen Camilla visited the 'Green Man Humpty Dumpty Egg'

PA

The egg is part of "The Big Egg Hunt" campaign organised by Elephant Family charity. Over 120 large-scale egg sculptures now form a trail across London for the public to discover.

The initiative has already proven popular with Londoners and visitors alike. As of today, more than 7,000 people have downloaded the associated app.

The eggs have been collected digitally 34,000 times, showing strong engagement with the artistic trail.

During her visit, Queen Camilla was joined by two Coldstream Guardsmen.

Queen Camilla

Queen Camilla marvelled at the egg outside Buckingham Palace

PA

Their presence was a clever nod to the "King's men" referenced in the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme that inspired the egg's design.

The Queen met with the egg's creator, Alice Shirley, to discuss the artwork. She also spoke with representatives from Elephant Family charity about the initiative and its impact.

The event marked an important public engagement for the Queen during a sensitive time. King Charles was admitted to hospital on Thursday for a few hours after suffering side effects from his cancer treatment.

Elephant Family was founded by the Queen's late brother, Mark Shand. The charity works in partnership with conservation experts on the ground.

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Queen Camilla

Queen Camilla looked impressed by the sculpture

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Their focus is on tackling challenges facing Asia's wildlife and the communities living alongside them.

Elephant Family is part of the British Asian Trust. The charity's work aligns with the royal couple's environmental interests.

Their conservation efforts span across Asia, working directly with local communities.

Alice Shirley is a London-based artist and designer who works exclusively by hand. Her work primarily focuses on the natural world and storytelling.

She has collaborated with French fashion house Hermès Paris since 2012. Shirley creates designs for their silk scarves and other objects across collections.