The Queen Consort joked that she would be happy to steal a patronage from her husband, with gardening guru Alan Titchmarsh saying he would be happy to see them both in the role

Queen Camilla was at the garden museum when she made the admission ( Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

Queen Camilla joked about wanting to “nudge” King Charles III from his role as the patron of a museum she can’t resist visiting.

The Queen Consort participated in a visit to London’s Garden Museum this week, calling it “such a special place”. She confessed that her latest visit was her third to the location in 12 months, as she toured an exhibition touching on gardens associated with the female artists of the famed Bloomsbury Group.

She addressed the event’s star-studded audience – which included museum president TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh and royal florist Shane Connolly – in an impromptu speech, telling them how she would happily take over patronage of the institution. The Queen joked about wanting to ” take that one away” from the monarch, 75

Queen Camilla at a podium
Queen Camilla gave an impromptu speech teasing she could steal her husband’s role ( Image: PA)


She said: “I don’t know how many visits I’ve paid here – quite a lot. I know my husband’s patron but I might have to nudge him, I’d quite like to take that one away from him. It’s such a special place that every time I’m asked, I just like to come back again and I think this wonderful exhibition celebrating women in garden(ing) is so important.”

She added: “I’m so glad that you are celebrating all the women who are these great gardeners because we do love gardening, it’s quite often the men who get celebrated and not the women, so I think you’re doing a brilliant job here.”

The King and Queen took on a host of new patronages following King Charles’ official crowning in 2023, with 492 patronages previously held by Queen Elizabeth II divided among them. King Charles has served as the patron of the Garden Museum since he was Prince of Wales, taking on the role in 2021.

After the visit, Mr Titchmarsh praised the Queen’s gardening skills and said he would be happy to have “either or both” the King and Queen serve as patrons. Speaking about the Queen’s private home in Gloucestershire, he said she has a “wonderful” space to practice gardening.

He said: “She’s a great gardener and I know that Ray Mill is a wonderful retreat for her with her own garden.” He added: “We would be very happy to have the Queen and the King as patron, either or both. We just love that she loves to come.”