If she wants to be queen, she is going to have to try harder than this.
Prince Charles’ wife Camilla Parker Bowles has been slammed after she appeared to be so bored while attending the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games in Australia that she spent much of the presentation leafing through a program for the event.
Broadcasters and commentators on social media voiced disbelief after a distracted-looking Camilla was repeatedly seen picking up a guide to the games, rather than watching the opening ceremony.
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The Commonwealth is a loose grouping of British-allied nations—many, but not all, are former British colonies and some count the queen as head of state.
The Commonwealth is one of the queen’s passions, but she no longer travels long haul, so it was left to Prince Charles and Camilla to preside over the opening ceremony for the games in Queensland.
The queen has made no secret of her desire for Charles to be named next head of the Commonwealth, but the title is not hereditary and the deal is not done. Many influencers are lobbying for a non-royal as the next head of the Commonwealth—to make a statement of modernity.
Officials sought to downplay Camilla’s behavior during Wednesday night’s opening ceremony.
Commonwealth Games Federation President Louise Martin said: “She was absolutely shattered. She was jet-lagged.
“She’d just got off the plane in the morning with a full duty right through [the day],” Martin said.
“And then she sat in the car from Brisbane down to here. She got 20 minutes to change before she was due at another reception.
“When you’re back to back like that off a long-haul flight... and she literally hates flying. She really does, she hates it. She really wanted to go to sleep.
“She really enjoyed herself. I didn’t see the facial expressions et cetera, but the comments between the duchess and Prince Charles and myself, she was asking questions all the time. They both enjoyed it.”
