Queen Camilla has paid tribute to Elizabeth II’s unwavering commitment to the Crown ahead of what would have been the late monarch’s 100th birthday on Tuesday.
Speaking in a new BBC documentary, the 78-year-old praised Queen Elizabeth II’s dedication throughout more than seven decades on the throne.
“I think duty has overridden everything,” Camilla said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody have a sense of duty like she had.”
Camilla also reflected on Elizabeth’s remarkable composure when she ascended to the throne at just 25, following George VI’s unexpected death in February 1952.
Queen Camilla has paid tribute to Elizabeth II’s unwavering commitment to the Crown ahead of what would have been the late monarch’s 100th birthday on Tuesday.
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“It must have been so difficult, being surrounded by much older men. There weren’t women prime ministers or women presidents. She was the only one, so I think she carved her own role,” Camilla observed.
The Queen Elizabeth II: Her Story, Our Century documentary examines how Britain transformed during Elizabeth’s record-breaking reign, featuring reflections from world leaders, family members and close friends.
Former US President Barack Obama, Sir Tony Blair, Sir David Attenborough and Peter Phillips, the late Queen’s eldest grandchild, all contribute to the programme.
Dame Helen Mirren, who portrayed Elizabeth in the 2006 film The Queen, also appears.
“She’d become such an intrinsic part of the tapestry of our life, it was as if you were going to pull a thread and the whole thing was going to fall apart,” Mirren said.
The new documentary examines how Britain transformed during Queen Elizabeth II’s record-breaking reign, featuring reflections from world leaders, family members and close friends.
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GETTY
Sir Tom Jones is among the other contributors reflecting on Elizabeth’s extraordinary life and legacy.
Sir Tony Blair, who closely advised Elizabeth following Diana’s death in 1997, spoke of her steady leadership during that turbulent period when the royal family faced intense public criticism for remaining in Scotland with the young princes.
“She had a real sense of what her role should be and what it represented particularly, as the country went through the most difficult time,” Blair said. “She was not ‘a’ Queen, but ‘the’ Queen. I don’t think we’ll see her like again.”
The documentary also revisits the Covid pandemic and Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021, when just 30 guests were permitted under restrictions.
Despite Downing Street offering to relax rules for the royals, Elizabeth insisted on following the same guidelines as the public, creating one of her reign’s most poignant images: the monarch sitting alone, masked, mourning her husband of 73 years.
Obama, who developed a close relationship with Elizabeth after his 2011 state visit, reflected on her unique historical perspective.
“By virtue of her having known every world figure through the entire 20th century, she’s a link to history,” he observed, noting that her combination of duty, kindness and humour made her beloved worldwide.
Sir David Attenborough, who celebrates his own centenary next month, described Elizabeth’s natural authority: “It was in the manner of her bones. She was regal.”
Lady Anne Glenconner, who served as a maid of honour at the 1953 Coronation, recalled how becoming heir at ten following Edward VIII’s abdication proved “a turning point in her life,” instilling in Elizabeth a determination never to give up.