Royal couple’s friendly competition over mushroom hauls and home comforts
Queen Camilla and King Charles share a light-hearted yet fierce rivalry over mushroom foraging, according to Camilla’s son, Tom Parker Bowles. Both the King and Queen are passionate about gathering wild mushrooms, and Parker Bowles describes their competition as "deeply competitive."
In his book, Cooking and the Crown: Royal Recipes from Queen Victoria to King Charles III, Parker Bowles highlights that wild mushrooms are "somewhat of an obsession" for the royal couple. King Charles has long been an advocate for environmental causes and was even spotted mushroom picking on the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
Camilla’s foraging skills were also seen in 2007 when she was spotted gathering mushrooms at Balmoral while Charles prepared for a memorial service for Princess Diana. This playful rivalry extends beyond mushroom picking, as the couple is said to engage in regular banter at home.
Camilla’s sister, Annabel Elliot, revealed that King Charles and Queen Camilla are "polar opposites" in certain preferences, such as Charles favouring a cool breeze while Camilla prefers warmth. Despite their differences, the King and Queen enjoy playful exchanges, with Charles often winning the window debate, while Camilla reportedly “wins most other things.”
