Queen warmly embraces France’s first lady as she continues pneumonia recovery
4 December 2024, 16:21
Queen Camilla, 77, warmly embraced France's first lady at a literary award ceremony, as she continues her recovery from pneumonia.
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Camilla is suffering from post-viral fatigue as a result of the infection, which she disclosed she had been suffering from on Tuesday.
In a step towards her recovery, she joined Brigitte Macron to give out prizes at the Entente Litteraire Prize award ceremony, an Anglo-French initiative which celebrates books aimed at teenagers and young adults.
Camilla wore a grey and black tweed jacket and dress by French label Dior, and greeted Mrs Macron in French with the traditional "bonjour".
Mrs Macron, who was waiting on the doorstep of the French ambassador's residence in Kensington, central London, fondly welcomed Camilla with a "bise' - kissing each other on the cheek.
The Entente Litteraire Prize was launched by Camilla and Mrs Macron during the King and Queen's state visit to France in September 2023.
The women had a private conversation in the salon, during which they exchanged books.
Camilla gave Mrs Macron four books from The Queen's Reading Room, a charity working to celebrate and promote the power and benefits of reading.
In return, Mrs Macron gave her a book about Notre Dame cathedral, which has just been restored and will be reopened this week.
They then went into the ballroom, meeting shortlisted authors, judges, translators and schoolchildren.
Pupils from the Lycee International Winston Churchill, an international school in London, said they were stressed about meeting the Queen, but that she was very friendly, and they spoke about their favourite books.
Culture Minister Chris Bryant said: "It's lovely (to meet Camilla) because she's so committed to literature and persuading everybody to read, which is one of the things that we desperately need."
The awards ceremony took place after the reception, and the French ambassador to the UK emphasised the importance of the relationship between the UK and France.
Author and jury chairwoman Joanne Harris introduced the winners in French and English, and two 8,000 euro (£6,630) prizes were awarded for a French text translated into English and an English text translated into French.
The winners were Lucie Bryon, Manon Steffan Ros and Lise Garond.
Smiling as she left, Camilla said the event went "really well" and wished the guests a happy Christmas.
She missed the outdoor ceremonial welcome for the Emir of Qatar on Horse Guards Parade, waiting in the warm inside Buckingham Palace instead, on doctors' advice, but attended a lunch, a Royal Collection exhibition and the state banquet.
The Queen contracted her chest infection after a long-haul trip to Australia and Samoa and has pulled out of a series of engagements since then, including the Royal Variety Performance, the Gladiator II premiere and the Remembrance Day Service at The Cenotaph.
