Camilla, Queen Consort appears on this Sunday's Antiques Roadshow

Virgin Radio

4 Mar 2023, 19:22

The Queen Consort brought two cherished items with her.

Fiona Bruce, the presenter of Antiques Roadshow, has shared news about the show's upcoming episode. Airing on Sunday, March 5th at 8pm on BBC One, the episode will feature a special appearance by Camilla, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom.

Filmed at The Eden Project, Cornwall's famous botanical garden, Bruce said that the 75-year-old Duchess brought along two personal items to share with the show's experts.

One of the items is a rare snuffbox from the Royal Collection, made from Cornish silver that was mined just 40 minutes away from the filming location. The snuffbox has significant historical value, as it is believed to have been given as a gift to a member of the royal family in the 18th century.

Silver specialist Duncan Campbell was thrilled with the item, saying it's the first all-English silver item of it's kind that he has seen in his career. 

Books expert Justin Croft, meanwhile, was impressed with Her Majesty’s copy of Thomas Gray's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, a poem completed in 1750 and said to be inspired by Gray's thoughts following the death of the poet Richard West in 1742.

The Queen Consort revealed her love for the poem and the exquisite binding of the book it was in. The binding was done in 1899 by the Guild of Women Binders.

Well, aren't we learning a lot today!

"The members of the public that came along with their items that day got a bit more than they bargained for as they had no idea The Queen Consort was coming!" said Bruce.

"Her Majesty got stuck into our Antiques Roadshow games, though ‘Guess the Mystery Object’ had us both stumped."

'Antiques Roadshow' will air on Sunday, March 5th at 8pm on BBC One.