Queen Camilla’s romantic gesture to King Charles – as the couple celebrate 20 years of marriage on activity-packed Italy trip… and reveal their ‘secret’ to lasting love

They may, according to the Queen, be like ‘ships that pass in the night’ due to their heavy workload sometimes.

But there was no doubting the sweetly romantic gesture that Camilla, 77, made yesterday to mark her and the King’s 20th wedding anniversary.

Arriving at the Italian Parliament in Rome, where her husband was due to make an historic speech, she sported the same elegant ivory Anna Valentine silk coat and dress that she wore for their civil wedding ceremony at Windsor’s Guildhall on April 9 2005.

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It had been repurposed with additional embroidery by Beth Somerville, an alumni of Charles’ charitable King’s Foundation to highlight the importance of sustainability – a key theme of their four-day state visit to Italy – but was otherwise just as it was on the day.

And the King, 76, looked proud as punch to have his wife on his arm.

In an interview with the British Press accompanying the couple, Camilla looked happy and relaxed as she chatted amiably about her wedding anniversary on a school visit to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the British Council and efforts to encourage young people to read and write imaginatively.

‘Twenty years, who could believe it was 20 years?’ she said.

Asked the secret of their longevity she mused: ‘What is the secret? I don’t know…well… I suppose it’s just sort of friendship, really. Laughing at the same things, getting on with life. I suppose doing this [gestures to the engagement] takes up most of the time…

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The King and Queen, who are celebrating twenty years of marriage today, released a series of portraits for the occasion earlier this week

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Arriving at the Italian Parliament in Rome, where her husband was due to make an historic speech, she sported the same elegant ivory Anna Valentine silk coat and dress that she wore for their civil wedding ceremony at Windsor’s Guildhall on April 9 2005

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It had been repurposed with additional embroidery by Beth Somerville, an alumni of Charles’ charitable King’s Foundation to highlight the importance of sustainability – a key theme of their four-day state visit to Italy – but was otherwise just as it was on the day (pictured)

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Charles and Camilla pictured walking from St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on the day of their wedding, in 2009

‘We are always going in different directions, like ships that pass in the night really. We whizz past each other. [But] In fact we have got a bit of a catch-up this afternoon.’

In fact, the Queen revealed she was planning a rather romantic gesture for her husband when they eventually returned to Villa Wolonsky, the home of the British ambassador where they are staying.

Asked whether they had time to exchange cards or gifts, she said: ‘No we are going to do that when we get back. We are going to save that. Otherwise you can’t really… you have to rush it. You don’t have time to say anything. No, I think we might dig into our pockets and pull something out at the end of the day.

‘Ah, yes, well I have got something. It’s china [the traditional gift for a 20th anniversary]. ‘

Asked whether a return gift might be for her husband, who is still undergoing weekly cancer treatment, to take a little time off, she roared: ‘Dream on!’

‘It would be very nice if we got a day off and went somewhere but that was not going to happen!

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The couple had spent their evening at a glitzy state banquet, held at the Palazzo Quirinale in Rome

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The Queen revealed she was planning a rather romantic gesture for her husband when they eventually returned to Villa Wolonsky, the home of the British ambassador where they are staying

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Charles and Camilla pictured leaving the Italian Lower House, where the royal addressed a joint session of the Parliament

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There was no doubting the sweetly romantic gesture that Camilla, 77, made yesterday to mark her and the King’s 20th wedding anniversary

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Earlier the King, who looked in equally good form, charmed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni when they met for the first time at the stunning Villa Doria Pamphili, used to greet foreign dignitaries

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Earlier this afternoon, Camilla, pictured, visited pupils in a chic black and white polka dot ensemble

Speaking of her love of Italy, Camilla said her family used to own a home in the county, explaining: ‘Yes, in Florence. We used to come here as children. We used to go to Ischia, one of the lovely little islands off Naples, so I’ve always loved it here.

‘You come to Italy and you feel better. They are so friendly. Everybody is so lovely. You’ve got the food, the weather, there’s something in the air. Everything tastes better here. Why is it tomatoes, why is it pasta tastes better? You take it back to England it doesn’t taste the same. They are a very relaxed [people] and happy.’

She added that she knew a few words in Italian: ‘I know buongiorno, arrivederci….’

Asked if she ever had time to talk about their days with her husband she said: ‘Well, yes, we do. We have time over dinner to do a bit of catching up.’

Earlier the King, who looked in equally good form, charmed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni when they met for the first time at the stunning Villa Doria Pamphili, used to greet foreign dignitaries.

The pair laughed throughout their time in the 17th century countryside palace with incredibly views over Rome and the Vatican City.

He went on to give an historic speech to the Italian Parliament – and warned that peace was ‘never to be taken for granted’.

Referring to the UK and Italy’s joint support for Ukraine, he highlighted the bravery of civilian Italian resistance fighters in the Second World War, saying: ‘Today, sadly, the echoes of those times – which we fervently hoped had been consigned to history – reverberate across our continent. Our younger generations can now see in the news every day on their smartphones and tablets that peace is never to be taken for granted. Britain and Italy stand today united in defence of the democratic values we share.

‘Our countries have both stood by Ukraine in her hour of need – and welcomed many thousands of Ukrainians requiring shelter. Our Armed Forces stand side by side in N.A.T.O. We are grateful beyond measure for the role Italy plays in hosting key N.A.T.O. bases and taking a leading role in so many overseas operations.’

He added: ‘We will remember the terrible price of war – and of the precious gift of peace.’

The King was the first British monarch to be invited to give a speech to the joint session of the Italian parliament with representatives from both the Upper and Lower House.

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Charles and Camilla have been enjoying a four-day trip to Italy – which they kicked off on Monday

He switched easily between English and Italian, earning him warm applause from his audience, with his wife watching from the ‘Benches of Nine, as he described himself as an ‘old friend’.

‘Italy is, as I hope you know a country very dear to my heart and that of The Queen – as it is to so many of our countrymen and women,’ he said.

‘It has been one of the pleasures of my life to come to know this irresistible country….I have learned a little more about this nation and have come to admire it even more.

‘So I am here today with one purpose: to reaffirm the deep friendship between the United Kingdom and Italy, and to pledge to do all in my power to strengthen that friendship even further in the time that is granted to me as King.’

Emphasising the close links between the two countries, he raised a laugh saying: ‘Our ties go back over two millennia – to those ancient Roman visitors who arrived on our windswept shores. It was the Romans who gave Britons the idea of putting a King’s head on coins – so I am especially grateful to them…

‘And we have benefitted hugely from your influence over what we wear, what we drink and what we eat. I can only hope you will forgive us for occasionally corrupting your wonderful cuisine! We do so with the greatest possible affection…’

Notably, given how clear the government has been that the State Visit is, in part, about ‘re-setting’ Britain’s relationships with its European neighbours following the Brexit vote, the King added: ‘So we are two peoples, and two nations, whose stories are deeply intertwined – including, of course, with that of our European continent. We are both, after all, European countries.’

There were guffaws of laughter when the President of the Chamber of Deputies, President Lorenzo Fontana, accidentally interrupted the King’s speech thinking he had concluded.

Charles – known as Carlo by Italians – got the giggles and promised he would be finishing soon, adding: ‘Italy will always be in my heart.’