‘It Makes Me Ill to See Her Wear This’: Queen Camilla Dons Queen Elizabeth’s Tiara, Sparking Heated Talks

During a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace, Queen Camilla, 77, donned the late Queen Elizabeth II’s iconic crown—a gesture steeped in royal tradition. While it symbolized continuity in the monarchy, the choice drew mixed reactions online.

The banquet, held on December 3, honored the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani. Around 150 guests attended, celebrating the strong ties between the United Kingdom and Qatar in diplomacy, culture, and trade.

For the occasion, Camilla wore a red velvet evening gown by Fiona Clare. She paired it with the diamond Kokoshnik tiara, a piece closely linked to the late monarch.

Camilla’s look was completed with a diamond necklace from the royal collection and the Family Orders of both the late Queen and King Charles III.

While her attire exuded royal tradition, it also stirred strong emotions online. “It makes me ill too see her wear this crown [sic],” one detractor wrote. Another dismissed Camilla’s choice of the tiara, expressing disapproval with a sarcastic tone.

Someone else harshly remarked, “I’m sure Queen Elizabeth is screaming from her grave to take off her jewels I don’t think she was a fan of Camilla’s.” A fourth bluntly stated, “This is an utter disgrace.”

However, supporters praised her elegance. One royal fan raved, “❤️The larger tiaras ready suit Queen Camilla [sic].” Another noted, “I love that The Queen Consort is wearing the Kokoshnik tiara! Suits her very well! ❤️👑🇬🇧.”

Conversely, an admirer praised her overall appearance, emphasizing how beautiful Camilla looked in her dress and how striking the tiara appeared.

More supporters shared positive comments about the Queen’s appearance at the state dinner. One admired her vibrant red gown, while others kept their praise brief, calling her “beautiful” and expressing admiration with emojis.

Amid these conflicting opinions, one commenter adopted a more balanced stance, defending Camilla by highlighting her steadfast dedication to Charles and her central role in supporting him, regardless of public sentiment.

While much of the attention was on her tiara, Camilla revealed during the banquet that her chest infection was a form of pneumonia, which still causes “lingering” side effects.

The illness, initially misdiagnosed, caused her to miss several public engagements and left her with post-viral fatigue. Despite this, she demonstrated her commitment to royal duties by attending key parts of the event.

To accommodate her recovery, Camilla followed her doctor’s advice, skipping the outdoor ceremonies and attending a formal lunch at Buckingham Palace ahead of the evening banquet.

Palace sources emphasized that while she has recovered from pneumonia, the illness has left her “with significantly diminished reserves of energy,” requiring further adjustments to her schedule.

On November 5, the Palace announced that Camilla had a chest infection.

According to the BBC, Camilla’s diagnosis led her to cancel her engagements that Thursday, including her planned appearance at the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey, where the Duchess of Gloucester represented her.

It was also reported that Camilla missed an evening reception at the Palace for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, which Charles hosted alone.