Tom Parker-Bowles, the son of Queen Camilla and a renowned food writer, has offered rare insight into the personal struggles faced by his mother and King Charles III over the past two years. As the festive season approaches, Parker-Bowles prepares to spend Christmas at Sandringham with the royal couple for the first time in years, a shift from his usual more laid-back holiday traditions.
The 49-year-old restaurant critic revealed that his mother has been recovering from a bout of pneumonia after returning from a royal tour of Australia and Samoa.
While the illness briefly sidelined Camilla from her royal duties, Parker-Bowles described her as resilient and tough.
“She went back to work before she should have done, but she’s fine,” Parker-Bowles said. “She hates that she missed Remembrance Sunday. That’s a big day for her.”
Meanwhile, King Charles III has been navigating his own health battle after being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February.
Parker-Bowles confirmed that Charles’ treatment is “going well,” but it’s clear that the past two years have taken a toll on the royal couple. Reflecting on this, Parker-Bowles acknowledged how health challenges have changed his outlook on family time.
“The older you get, the more conscious you become of mortality, especially with illnesses and the rest of it,” Parker-Bowles noted.
These challenges have prompted him to accept Queen Camilla’s invitation to spend Christmas with the royal family at Sandringham, a departure from his usual holiday routine of wearing tracksuits and heading to the pub with his ex-wife Sara Buys and their teenage children, Lola and Frederick.
