Camilla candidly admitted her husband Prince Charles is hugely dedicated to his role and work as heir apparent to the throne and patron and president of several charities and organisations. The Duchess of Cornwall took part in a cheerful video chat with Strictly Come Dancing judge Dame Darcey Bussell and broadcaster Angela Rippon to mark her upcoming appointment as vice patron of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD). 

During the chat, Camilla was asked by Ms Rippon how she is coping during the lockdown and what she is doing to fill her days.

Admitting it is rather strange to suddenly see her usually very busy diary almost empty, Camilla also opened up on the Prince of Wales’ relationship with work.

She said: “Well, it is very peculiar.

“It’s suddenly, ‘look at the diary’, and everything has been sort of scratched out.

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“My husband is a workaholic, so he works wherever he is, he is sitting at his desk now working away.

“We try to do something for our charities most days to try and give them a little bit of encouragement and just try and lend our support.”

With more time on her hands than she is used to, Camilla revealed she is doing a series of physical exercises, including dancing, pilates and long walks.

During her chat, Camilla explained she joined the Silver Swans programme, one of the RAD’s projects dedicated to the elderly, 18 months ago.

The Silver Swans provides ballet sessions designed for older learners to improve mobility, posture, coordination and energy levels.

The Duchess of Cornwall told Dame Darcey and Ms Rippon: “I do a combination of a bit of Silver Swans and a bit of pilates and a lot of walking which I love.

“We’ve all got to keep active.

“If we don’t we’ll seize up and won’t be able to get out of bed in the morning.”

Explaining she had never tried ballet before joining these classes, Camilla continued: “Sarah, the wonderful teacher, said to me ‘Would you ever consider having a lesson?’, so I got a group of ancient friends together and the four of us sort of clatter around, and when we’re in London, we do it once a week and it makes all the difference.

“I thought it was going to be very funny and I was going to laugh at everybody toppling over next door to me, but I think we concentrate so hard we don’t even know what our friend next door is doing.  

“When I stand there I think to myself, ‘Drop your shoulders, breathe deeply, don’t hunch’.

“It’s those sort of things which you have ingrained in your memory.”

The 72-year-old added she has noticed some improvement in the way she dances.

She added: “I’m very, very much a beginner and probably will always remain a beginner, but I do feel after a year, or 18 months, of doing it that maybe I’ve improved a tiny bit.

“But I’m certainly not going to be taking to the stage. 

“I shall keep it in my own home very privately.”

Camilla first visited the RAD’s headquarters in London in February 2018.

On that occasion, she learned more about the Silver Swans initiative and, impressed, said she wanted to become a Silver Swan herself.

The programme continues to offer online classes even during the lockdown to help people remain active and in shape.

In taking on her new role as vice patron of RAD, Camilla will join the Queen, who has been the patron of the organisation since 1953.   

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