The Duchess of Cornwall has enjoyed “a half hug” with her grandchildren.
The 73-year-old royal’s children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes – who she has with ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles – have five kids between them and after a long period without physical contact because of social distancing measures, Camilla is thrilled to have finally got closer to her young relatives after having both her coronavirus vaccinations.
Asked if she’s hugged her grandchildren, she said: “I have been able to. I have had a hug. I am doubly jabbed so, umm, we’ve had a sort of half hug.”
Although Camilla was in regular contact with her family throughout lockdown, she’s admitted it meant much more to finally see them in person again and she can’t wait for restrictions to end completely.
She added to the Daily Telegraph newspaper: “It’s been so lovely just to be able to see them again and talk to them. You know, telephones and machines and these Zooms are fine, but nothing’s ever the same as being able to give somebody a good hug.
“I’m waiting for the final date when we can actually go into each other’s homes, to be able to sit down and have a proper lunch and, you know, just have a proper life again.
“I think we’ll all be absolutely thrilled to be together with our grandchildren again. I mean just to be able to go and collect them from school would be so nice instead of waving from miles away…”
And the duchess – whose husband, Prince Charles, has four grandchildren – can’t wait until the government announces “wretched” masks won’t need to be worn again.
She said: “You know, it’s been a really strange time. I don’t think that any of us have ever seen the like of it and – touch wood – we’re all going to be able to have our jabs and get on with it. And get rid of these wretched [masks].”
Camilla expressed her frustration at the way guidance keeps changing.
She said: “One minute they tell us one thing and the next minute they say ‘nope sorry’ – we are going to be able to go away, aren’t we? But I think step one is just being able to join together as a family and just eat food together, and talk and laugh.”
The duchess spoke last year of how much she missed giving her grandchildren a hug.
She said: “You’re so excited because you haven’t seen them for three-and-a-half months. Your first reaction is to run up and hug them, and you have to sort of put up your hands. It’s a very odd feeling.”