Queen Camilla turns 79 today. Among the secrets to her physical fitness and energy is a simple but consistent routine that combines exercise, socializing, and fun. King Charles’s wife isn’t afraid to admit that her body isn’t what it used to be, and she has repeatedly emphasized the importance of exercise, even on social media.
Her daily routine, which King Charles also shares
For years, Camilla has been taking ballet classes designed for people over 55, an activity she combines with Pilates and daily walks. During a 2020 interview with hosts Darcey Bussell and Angela Rippon, published on the official website of the Royal Family, Camilla described her fitness routine during the coronavirus lockdown: “I do a combination of a bit of Silver Swans and a bit of Pilates and a lot of walking, which I love. It’s what we try and tell people to do to keep their bones strong.” The importance of physical activity is a value she shares with her husband. “If we don’t, we’ll just seize up and we won’t be able to get out of bed in the morning,” the queen explained. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s 10 minutes or 20 minutes, it just starts off the day.”
The benefits of ballet
In particular, as noted in a post on the the Royal Family Instagram profile, Queen Camilla attends Silver Swans classes at the Royal Academy of Dance: classical ballet sessions designed for people over 55. The benefits of ballet for people past middle age, as the post’s caption points out, are numerous: “There are many identified benefits of dance, including perceived improvements in quality of life, as well as physiological advantages, such as improved balance.”
A more in-depth article on the academy’s site points out: “Research shows that 75% of the factors affecting quality of life and longevity are related to lifestyle, while only 25% are hereditary. This means that there’s no excuse for not becoming more active whatever your age. Dance in particular can play a vital role in ensuring a longer and better quality of life.”
Ballet for people over 55 is considered a full-body workout. According to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, it improves posture, balance, coordination, mobility, and flexibility; it helps strengthen muscles and promote bone health; and it stimulates memory through the learning of movement sequences. Dancing in a group also offers significant psychological benefits, fostering socialization and combatting isolation and stress. Camilla has also repeatedly emphasized the emotional value of dance.
“It had a wonderful feeling of comradeship, and also, it’s such a happy place. I think dancing makes you happy!” she said in a 2020 interview. During that interview, the queen also encouraged everyone to try this discipline, regardless of age or experience: “It doesn’t matter whether you’ve done ballet or not. It’s something that will make you feel better. It gives you a certain amount of confidence in yourself. It’s just a bit of discipline there, which I think we all need in our lives.” It’s a philosophy that Camilla continues to follow today as she approaches 80: staying active every day—without overdoing it but with consistency—to take care of both body and mind.
Originally published in Vanity Fair Italia.
