Queen Camilla makes glaring error during public visit

Queen Camilla is always well prepared ahead of public engagements, ensuring she is informed with facts about the organisation she is visiting, armed with information to chat to attendees about.

However, even royals aren’t immune from mistakes, and the Queen fell foul of an error during a visit to Swindon’s Great Western Hospital on Tuesday, with fans quick to notice her mistake.

During her trip to the Wiltshire hospital, Queen Camilla said: “I probably haven’t been inside this hospital for 47 years – since I had my daughter, so that was a few years ago,” referring to the birth of her daughter, Laura Lopes.

However, the hospital she was visiting wasn’t built until 2002 – making it impossible for it to be where Camilla gave birth.

It was simple human error, though. Prior to the opening of the hospital, Swindon was home to the Princess Margaret Hospital, which was demolished in 2004 following the opening of the Great Western Hospital.

Queen Camilla is likely misremembering the exact location of the Swindon hospital – we can’t blame her, giving birth her mind was probably elsewhere.

That said, the King’s wife said her family are frequent visitors to the hospital to this day. Chatting with staff, Her Majesty said: “I know quite a lot about you. You’ve treated a lot of my family. 

© Max Mumby/Indigo

“I am so impressed by this A&E. I have had very good feedback because I have had friends who come here and grandchildren who have been here on several occasions.

“I quite often get pictures saying, ‘Guess where I am? Back in the A&E in Swindon’, so I know it quite well.”

“‘I do know from first-hand experience the difference you are making to this part of the country. So, congratulations to you all,” she concluded.

DISCOVER: All about Queen Camilla’s children and grandchildren

Queen Camilla’s local hospital

Prior to marrying into the royal family, Queen Camilla lived in Corsham at Middlewick House, around 45 minutes from Swindon, so it makes sense it was her hospital of choice to welcome her daughter.

Following her split from her ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, Camilla moved just down the road to Ray Mill House, near Chippenham. She bought the house in 1996 and has kept it ever since.

While Queen Camilla said her grandchildren are regular visitors to Swindon hospital, it is unknown where they live.

© Getty Images

Her son, Tom Parker Bowles, said he is based in West London with his son Freddy Parker Bowles, born in 2010, while Laura’s living location is unknown, so it’s likely her children, Eliza, who was born in January 2008, and twin boys, Gus and Louis, who were born in December of 2009, that frequent the Swindon hospital.