Here are some photos from Tuesday, the first day of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako’s state visit to the UK. This was on the schedule before Rishi Sunak called for a general election, and reportedly, the palace made some adjustments to ensure that this state visit wouldn’t look like a Tory convention (too late). Queen Camilla and King Charles did the formal greeting at Buckingham Palace, with the Emperor and the King doing a troop inspection and there were some carriage rides and more. For the carriage ride, Empress Masako wore a face mask, because she’s allergic to horses. No comment on whether she was worried about the horse-drawn carriage or her neighing carriage companion.
Tuesday night, Camilla and Charles rolled out the red carpet for a state dinner, also at Buckingham Palace. For the dinner, Camilla wore a baggy white gown and the Burmese Ruby Tiara. She wore the same tiara last November, for the state dinner for South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeo. I wonder why she’s now chosen the same ruby-and-diamond tiara for state dinners with Asian heads of state. Perhaps it was just as simple as “Japan’s flag is red and white, I know, I’ll wear the ruby tiara!” I wonder if the Royal Collection includes any big jewelry pieces with a chrysanthemum theme, because that would have been perfect here. Speaking of, Empress Masako wore the Imperial Chrysanthemum Tiara, which can only be worn by the empress of Japan.
Additionally, Camilla debuted her new Family Order. She received QEII’s Family Order brooch/honor in 2007, but they’ve made new ones with little portraits of King Charles. Camilla is the first person to wear KCIII’s Family Order badge.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- (L-R) – King Charles III, Queen Camilla at the Ceremonial Welcome for the State Visit by The Emperor and Empress of Japan at Horse Guards Parade in London, England, UK on Tuesday 25 June, 2024.,Image: 884583258, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- Queen Camilla and Empress Masako of Japan depart the Ceremonial Welcome for the State Visit by The Emperor and Empress of Japan at Horse Guards Parade in London, England, UK on Tuesday 25 June, 2024.,Image: 884583639, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- London, UK, 25 June 2024: Queen Camilla and the Empress of Japan leave Horse Guards for Buckingham Palace at the start of the Japanese state visit in London.,Image: 884601059, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: David Dyson / Avalon
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- London, UK, 25 June 2024: King Charles and Queen Camilla await the arrival of the Emperor and Empress of Japan ahead of a state visit in London.,Image: 884601660, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: David Dyson / Avalon
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- London, UK, 25 June 2024: Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the state visit banquet in Buckingham Palace in London.,Image: 884662929, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- London, UK, 25 June 2024: Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the state visit banquet in Buckingham Palace in London.,Image: 884662933, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- London, UK, 25 June 2024: Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the state visit banquet in Buckingham Palace in London.,Image: 884663333, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- London, UK, 25 June 2024: Britain’s King Charles III, right with Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and Queen Camilla pose for the cameras ahead of the State Banquet during the State Visit to Britain of the Japanese Emperor and Empress in Buckingham Palace in London.,Image: 884675869, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Pool, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kirsty Wigglesworth / Avalon
I liked Camilla’s hat and brooch at the parade, but that ruby tiara has to be one of the ugliest in QEII’s collection…she had no taste in jewelry, at all.
William met them at the hotel and did the parade but noped out on the banquet, so did Kate…I haven’t seen any photos of other RF members at the banquet although I suppose Sophie was there?
No William was at the State Dinner. He was photographed walking in the procession.
Was Rose there?
No that I saw but Simon Case was.
Camzilla is just so racist and horrible and gross as a person that I find it so hard to find anything nice to say about her at all. Ever. I wish her and her BFF Jeremy C would just disappear in a cloud of cigarette smoke, never to be seen again. 🤷🏽♀️
The Burmese people gifted Queen Elizabeth the rubies she had made into the Burmese Ruby Tiara, in the belief that those rubies protected the wearer from evil.
It was (to the Americans especially) a delightful moment of Brooch Warfare when, after it not being seen for many years, Her Late Maj rolled up to the state dinner with Trump wearing the Burmese tiara. Liz knew what was what. Just like she wore an Obama brooch to her first mtg with Trump.
Both times Camilla has tried to lay claim to Queen Elizabeth’s popularity (and failed spectacularly) by wearing this particular iconic piece that Her Late Maj was known for wearing, it has always surprised and slightly disappointed me that the protective power of the Burmese rubies hasn’t caused her to spontaneously combust or be turned into a Tower raven or something.
Okay that’s funny. Love the idea of the queen wearing rubies to ward off trump’s evil energy.
I have to agree QE2 had no taste in jewelry – she would pile it on and it was not a good look. And while I thinks Cams has a horse face (sorry to the horses) she can carry off those jewels.
Why does she always wear such shapeless dresses? Is her shape that bad? She needs it get some shapewear and a supportive bra. She can afford it.
THANK you, I commented on Sophie post. A good bra makes a big difference in how clothes fit, right? Like you say, they can afford the best.
Thank you Anonymous. I have been telling Cam for a while now to get a good bra, and a new dresser. And a new hairdo and facial and brow treatment and……. she just won’t listen. A good bra doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. I have spoken. Girls supporting girls.
Everyone looked appropriate, the ladies brought out some of their big gun diamonds, and I’m glad they are no longer using ivory for the portraits. It’s so odd to walk around wearing a bejeweled picture of your spouse though.
I have a lot of sympathy for Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. After many years of suffering and depression they finally had a daughter that they love with all their heart. Theirs is true love, not the PR that the British Royal family propagates.
Their backstory is so heartwrenching, isn’t it? Masako is an intelligent, accomplished woman in her own right, and understandably didn’t want to marry into the Imperial Family, but felt pressured into it by her own family. She gave up so much to do it. But it’s clear that she does love her husband now, and he adores her. Naruhito was so kind and compassionate (and asked the same of the public) when she had her breakdown(s), and despite those being caused in part by the pressure to have a male heir, they’ve certainly never shown any disappointment that they had a daughter. They seem like a very loving, almost normal family who genuinely care for each other. The BRF could learn SO MUCH from them.
I remember reading Naruhito saying that if he didn’t marry Masako, he wouldn’t marry anyone.
Wow. I don’t know anything about the Japanese royals, but I already know they are more authentic than the rest, by your comments about them.
Side piece looks very irritated to be “working” so much. Imagine being a useless person your entire life, actively working to destroy a young mom and caring less about your married lover’s kids. What a gross life she’s had.
I feel she enjoys the pompous royal stuff like royal banquets, parades, Ascot cos they show she is the top woman of the hierarchy clearly. And she is among the elite.
It’s obvious she does not enjoy small talk, royal tours (especially to non white countries) and interactions with peasants.
Exactly!!! Jeremy’s girl “refreshed” that sagging leathery face but she’s still rotting from the inside and that shines through in every pic. I see she’s still allergic to supportive bras so she just can’t get away from the sag theme. She’ll be drunk driving in SAG Harbor next slurring about her world tour in saggy jeans and a Bottega Veneta bag – a designer she alone discovered.
@Side Eye: (Whispers under breath) This is gonna ruin the tour…
Lol Angelica!
This, right here. You all said what I was trying to say above! Agree 💯
I found it interesting that Sophie was loaned the Lotus Flower Tiara; Camilla playing games?
Exactly what I was thinking . She’s not very subtle
Why are Charles’ pants so baggy??? My goodness, what is going on at his ankles, those pants fall terribly (or not at all- bunched like that!) on his shoes. Very odd looking bottom half
He’s matching his side piece’s chest cause they don’t have good bras in England. You’d think her excrement throwing friend would take her to Harrod’s and help her figure it out.
What is wrong with sagging breasts? She is not 15.
Right? I never get the big hoohaw about him having amazingly well tailored clothes. He always looks like a baggy mess to me. Not that he should be wearing a skinny cut suit but his style isn’t great.
His style is even more out of date than his sister’s.
LOL LOL LOL. I needed a good joke, thank you. Maybe we call her Queen Horsilla from now on.
The late Queen Elizabeth had a sapphire tiara that would have gone better with Camilla’s blue Order of the Garter sash than the rubies.
They all look fine. At least Camilla isn’t wearing bright red to overpower everyone else. She’s really been going for the Dairy Queen swirly top hats lately, but they look good on her.
The hats in France and in this latest carriage ride with the Empress have been giving Dr. Seuss in Go Dogs Go.
Why is her sash going in the opposite direction from everyone elses?
I think it’s determined by the type of order. Some go one way and some go the other way.
It is all such nonsense.
Order maven here … the correct direction is order-dependent.
Naruhito and Camilla are both wearing the Order of the Garter, so theirs are the same color and same direction. Masako and Charles are wearing Japanese orders that … go the other way. (Different orders, same direction.)
For state visits like this, if you have an order from the “other” country, you wear it as your primary. If you don’t have an order from the other country, you wear the highest one you have from your home country. Naruhito has two big pins (“stars”) on his jacket and the other one is his highest Japanese order. Charles may have some Garter stuff on, it’s hard to see from the pic, but he is wearing his Japanese order’s sash. The ladies are wearing their “home” orders because that’s what they’ve got.
Some times you will see someone wearing a honking metal collar with or without a sash. The collar is usually considered to be a “higher form” of a particular order and is usually “the primary” order for the event.
Masako didn’t get a British order, so Camilla didn’t get a Japanese one. The Brits are super weird about giving out orders. Most other RFs will give them to the family members of the hosts who participate in the state visit. Might be different kinds depending on rank. But among those of us who follow this, “Naruhito got the Garter” is news.
I noticed that Camilla had to 1 up the Empress in all matters of jewels — the number of ropes on her necklace, height of her crown etc. She’s really into the role.
If the Japanese Empress is allergic to horses, she should be wearing a mask whenever she is near Camilla. Sorry. I just couldn’t resist.
Wonder if they gave options outside of going in a carriage or just took someone who is allergic around horses without even asking.
This. I really hope they have another option and the empress said the horse carriage was fine if she wore a mask. But knowing the Windsors, I’m not sure. Camila’s smirk sitting next to a woman in a mask was interesting. Although, I think her face just lands in a smirk.
The Imperial Chrysanthemum Tiara is fabulous.
Yes! It’s really lovely and sweet. I think it’s also the first time she’s ever worn it. I preferred it to Camilla’s red ruby one but I’m not sure if I am biased due to the wearer. I was actually surprised Camilla didn’t wear a new tiara. Don’t they have a bunch of tiaras in their collection. Why wear the same one?
Agree, I was hoping for some high res photos so I could zoom in on the details but, unsurprisingly for a BRF event, the photos leave a lot to be desired
I love the Emperor and Empress, especially Empress Masako. She’s been through so much.
Question, especially in light of the main photo: I’ve noticed almost all of the British royals have a slightly hunched over stance. Why? Some it now will be age, but Chuckles and Cam, Will and Ed, Kate and Bea have done it for years. The only outlier seems to be Anne.
I think it’s an aristocratic thing – look at both Rose and her husband. They also both have horrible posture. Maybe it’s the weight of all the colonization and stolen loot on their backs?
Ha, fair enough! XD I ask because check out Masako and Naruhito – perfect, straight stance. Same with Philippe of Belgium, Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, hell even Margrethe ten years earlier. It seems to be mostly a Brit thing.
Actually, Anne’s stance remains effing perfect, so it’s just the real losers? I dunno.
Maybe it’s a horse riding thing? Bc Zara’s posture is also actually pretty decent in comparison.
In Camzilla’s case she has osteoporosis and osteoarthritis which has likely caused bone deterioration in her spine, hence the hunched over stance.
Yes, this. I see a lot of criticism about Camilla not wearing a supportive-enough bra, but older women, especially with osteoporosis or similar, sometimes find tight bras (or ones that pull down on the shoulders) painful. Also, I don’t think any woman should be criticized for not wearing shapewear. We shouldn’t feel the need to cinch ourselves in uncomfortably if we don’t want to! I’m not a Camilla fan but I think her style works fine for her and is appropriate to the occasion.
And she wears that heavy jewelry well; too bad so much of it was stolen from colonized countries. I was both amused and dismayed when it was announced that she would not wear the Koh-i-Noor at the coronation due to concerns around sensitivity regarding its history … but she didn’t give it back to India, either, now did she? (Well, it’s not her decision, I guess, but surely Charles could do it if he wanted to? I don’t know who technically owns it.) It’s very telling that apparently “These jewels are fabulous and I want to drape myself in them” outweighs “The country I represent stole these jewels through bloody conquest and centuries of exploitation, and giving them back would be not only the right thing to do but a PR coup”…
Is it just me or does anyone else find the King Charles Family Order brooch embarrassing in the extreme?
“I know…I’ll make my picture and badge much bigger than Mummy’s! And just to underscore that I far surpass the importance of the late Queen my ribbon will also be much larger.”
“And the first person I will honor with awarding my special supersized monument to myself will be my side chick consort.”
Can you imagine how Diana would howl with laughter if she were alive to see this? Charles is a pathetic little man who constantly needs his ego stroked. Truly laughable example of self glorification.
Everything about it is weird and cringe.
The ribbons have always been the part that really emphasizes the fact that all their shit is completely made up and only continues because enough people are willing to believe it. Look at that row of nonsense on Charles’ chest.
Camilla and Charles look smug. I guess they were happy keen did not go
Camilla’s tiara reminds me of a Target sign. QEII was truly awful with jewelry
That Burmese ruby tiara is banging! I think it’s gorgeous – Camz is utilizing all the big guns. The lotus tiara is lovely on Sophie. I didn’t know that tiaras where given to mainly one person only to wear, interesting to ponder if there is power machinations going on there.
The poor people of Myanmar called: please return it overnight express. Thank you. Effing sidepiece. How declassee.
Even diamonds and rubies look cheap on her🤷🏻♀️..
Camilla really is a mess. Alter that baggy dress, FFS, and get yourself a decent bra.
She is the personification of the Shakespearean line: All that glitters is not gold.
Poor Masako, the Japanese court have made that woman’s life HELL. She didn’t even want to marry him and was coerced into it. They could at least not force her to get near horses she’s allergic to.
I sincerely doubt The Queen (the real one, not the horse) would have ever worn Burmese rubies while visiting with east Asian heads of states. She actually knew the history of the areas she was visiting, and would have remembered the whole theater of Burma thing going on in WW2, where UK fought Japan in Burma. She was very good at making comments with only her jewelry and she would have known the message she was sending.
All the current pretender can do is think, “BIG AND SHINY IS GOOD!” And to wear those same jewels to both South Korea AND Japan state dinners, considering the historical “messiness” between them? Tacky as hell. The Queen would never.
She would have remembered, because she actually lived through it. It’s not necessarily a comment on her general historical knowledge.
There’s something about Camilla; she’s wizened and dried, yet somehow looks good in her outfits, usually because of the colours, and also her attitude of “I don’t really care what I look like”. I’m looking at KC with a friendlier eye than usual today. He’s taken over as patron of the epilepsy society here in the UK. The news is a few weeks old but I’ve only just realised. The queen was patron before. As an epileptic, and one who uses this brilliant organisation frequently, I’m pleased. Who knows how much his patronage will actually bring to the table, as with all royal patronages, but it is welcomed by the group, very much so.
Those state dinner dresses are so fug. Basically a blank canvas to pin sashes and baubles on.
True. I can’t imagine getting so involved about a tiara. These events seem so dull.
What a display of absolutely shockingly poor manners and lack of consideration towards honoured guests displayed to the world!
The royals have access to all of those limousines with HUGE show windows and have used them several times in recent years. The gold-plated advisors are planning this state visit and they discover that the Empress is allergic to horses and they could not arrange for the couple to be driven in one of those cars instead???? They decided that it would be a really good idea to make her travel in an OPEN horse-drawn carriage for appearances, with scant regard for her health? Holy SH–!
Poor Empress Masako must have been dosed up on allergy medication in addition to wearing a mask.
Honestly, I’m stunned. Absolutely STUNNED.