Queen Camilla’s son, Tom Parker-Bowles, has opened up about his nerve-wracking encounters with the late Queen Elizabeth II, admitting he was “so scared” when he met her.
During an appearance on ITV’s This Morning, the 49-year-old food writer and critic discussed his initial meeting with the sovereign while promoting his new cookbook, Cooking and the Crown.
A live cooking segment saw Tom presenting a dish called Queen Elizabeth II’s curry to hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, revealing the recipe was conceived before the monarch passed away in September 2022.
Tom reminisced on This Morning, telling presenters Ben and Cat, “When I first came up with it, the late Queen was still alive. So I was one step removed.”
He went on to disclose that he had only encountered Queen Elizabeth II on two occasions once as a youngster around eight years old, and then at the nuptials of his mother Camilla to King Charles in 2005, reports the Express.
The moment of humour arose when Tom confessed to a misstep during his childhood meeting: “Having only met her twice, the first time I was about eight and I was so scared, I curtsied wrong,” eliciting laughter from the show’s hosts.
Tom recounted the second instance at his mother’s wedding: “And the second time, my sister and I at my mother’s wedding. I think we got lost at Windsor Castle and suddenly this very recognisable voice came up behind us. And we were terrified!”
When Cat queried whether the Queen had scolded him and his sister Laura, aged 46, Tom clarified, “No, but she was the Queen!”
Reflecting on the kindness of Queen Elizabeth II, he said that she guided them back to the festivities: “And we just followed, sort of like children.”
Tom has recently addressed the false impressions about his mother’s fondness for smoking and drinking, attributing such misconceptions to her depiction in Channel 4’s The Windsors.
“Oh, you know she has that reputation of drinking gin and smoking? Never drunk a glass of gin in her life. Doesn’t smoke,” he clarified.
The 49 year old also admitted to watching the satirical series, commending Harry Enfield and Haydn Gwynne for their performances as King Charles and Camilla.
Speaking to The Times, Tom added: “Yes. She was really brilliant. But my mother hardly drinks. Never seen her so much as tipsy.”