Queen Camilla’s ‘horror’ as writer breaks royal protocol despite being a mega-fan

Queen Camilla had a sweet and hilarious meeting with her ‘biggest fan’ during a recent appearance.

Queen Camilla shared a sweet and hilarious moment after she met her “biggest fan” during a recent appearance in London.

Her Majesty attended the Queen’s Reading Room Literary Festival at Hampton Court Palace, where she met and spoke to a number of authors and actors, including Sir Ian Rankin, Ann Cleeves, Miriam Margolyes, Elizabeth McGovern, Harlan Coben and Emily Giffin.

During the engagement, Mr Coben, a world-renowned American thriller writer introduced the royal to Emily Giffin, an 11-time best-selling writer, who said she was Camilla’s “biggest fan” and had to sleep “on the streets”, just to get a glimpse of her during her Coronation in May 2023.

Ms Giffin took a bow as she greeted the Queen, and apologised on behalf of Mr Coben who failed to bow before shaking the royal’s hand.

But the laid-back royal had the perfect response to it as she said she too would also be “horrified” if she was in her position before bursting into giggles.

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Mr Coben initially introduced Ms Giffin to the Queen saying: “I just want to introduce you to number one New York Times best-selling author Emily Giffin who is your biggest fan – and she is so excited to meet you.”

Ms Giffin told Camilla: “It is an honour of a lifetime. I came over for your Coronation. I just so admire you.

The Queen replied: “You came over?” with the writer replying: “Yes I slept on the street for two nights… it was an honour of my lifetime.”

She thanks the royal for hosting the festival and all the “wonderful work you do”.

But she also shared she once trained Mr Coben on Royal Family etiquette. The crime author admitted to “messing up” remembering the rules, with Ms Giffin apologising for his mistake.

She told Camilla: “He’s very sorry that he didn’t bow before he shook your hand”. Camilla then said: “I’d be horrified if I was you” and burst into a giggle.

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The writer later wrote on her Instagram page: “Still pinching myself to have met Queen Camilla. Her Majesty was so warm and charming, and I have such admiration and appreciation for all that she is doing to encourage reading and support authors. This moment was a dream come true, and I will be forever grateful to her wonderful staff.”

The Queen’s literacy festival at Hampton Court took place for a second year.

Camilla launched The Reading Room on Instagram in January 2021 and the project was relaunched as charity The Queen’s Reading Room in February 2023.

It also has a podcast whose second series guests included Good Omens and Stardust author Neil Gaiman and Withnail And I actor Richard E Grant.

The Queen’s Reading Room festival is a co-production between The Queen’s Reading Room and Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that cares for Hampton Court Palace.