Take spring sunshine, a bit of romance and the eternally
beautiful backdrop of Rome and you can only get one thing: the
picture perfect royal event of 2025.
In April this year, King Charles and Queen Camilla headed to
Italy for a State Visit that provided the prettiest photo album of
a vitally important event designed to cement relations between the
two countries. Add in a few, extra special moments from The Queen
and this became the best looking royal event of the year.
(Foto di Paolo Giandotti –
Ufficio per la Stampa e la Comunicazione della Presidenza della
Repubblica)
Rome is always glorious and King Charles and Queen Camilla began
their time in the city under blue skies that were quickly filled
with patriotic smoke trails in an aerial display over the Quirinale
Palace. The Red Arrows took part in the show alongside the Frecce
Tricolori that saw the spring sunshine bounce around red, white and
blue and red, white and green as the flags of the UK and Italy were
brought to life high above Rome.
Royal Family/
Instagram
It’s hard not to get a good photo in front of the Colosseum and
The
King and Queen headed there for a tour and a chance to meet the
sizeable crowds who had turned out to see them. They stopped for
more photos on a balcony at the Temple of Venus, goddess of love,
an appropriate pick for a couple about to mark their 20th wedding
anniversary.
Chris Getty/ Buckingham
Palace
The
anniversary itself, April 9, saw The King and Queen captured in
a romantic portrait in the grounds of the Villa Wolkonsky, the
current official residence of the British Ambassador to Italy.
Queen Camilla wore a symbolic brooch that added another layer of
spring sweetness – the jewel is shaped as lily of the valley, a
flower which denotes a return to happiness.
Royal Family Instagram
still/ fair use
There was more symbolic jewellery for The Queen at the State
Banquet held during the visit. Queen Camilla wore a turquoise
necklace that she inherited from her mother, Rosalind Shand, who
died in 1994.
Royal Family Instagram
still/ fair use
It was the perfect pick to complement an emerald green dress
which gave a nod to the colours of Italy’s flag. The photogenic
evening ended with a special gift from King Charles who had brought
along his own piper to play for his host, the President of
Italy.
Royal Family/ Instagram
still/ fair use
Queen Camilla made sure the photo album was complete as she and
King Charles visited Ravenna as the tour came to an end. The Queen
rewore one of her two wedding dresses from her celebrations in
2005. As she walked around the famously beautiful streets of the
city, she was in the Anna Valentine cream coat that she wore for
the civil ceremony that made her a royal on April 9 2005. And, just
when we thought the pictures would stop coming, Queen Camilla
happily tucked into a (colour co-ordinated) ice cream to make this
State Visit super sweet.
(foto di Francesco Ammendola
– Ufficio per la Stampa e la Comunicazione della Presidenza della
Repubblica)
The weather was kind, once more, to Charles and Camilla as they
greeted crowds in Ravenna. Standing on a balcony over looking the
lovely main piazza, they drew a healthy following with the spring
sunshine adding a rosy glow. The State Visit, which also saw The
King meet Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a good humoured
audience, was hailed an important success. Romance, Ravenna and
Rome all helped to provide a picture perfect moment for the
royals.