Queen Camilla brought back a familiar favorite pink coat to attend the Founder’s Day ceremony at the Royal Hospital Chelsea on June 4—but it was her new floral bag that stole the show. Queen Elizabeth’s favorite handbag brand, Launer, recently launched a new collection with fellow royal warrant holder Sanderson, and Camilla was among the first to get in on the floral-filled action.
The late Queen carried Launer’s top-handled bags on repeat—most often in black—but she occasionally reached for the British brand’s clutches for formal events. Queen Camilla also chose a Launer clutch for her visit to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, carrying an $1,885 Bella bag covered in Sanderson’s historic rose and peony print which dates back to 1914.
The clutch also pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth in a more direct way, with proceeds from the Launer x Sanderson collaboration benefiting The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST). The charity supports talented and aspiring artisans by funding education and training, with QEST dedicated to strengthening the future of the U.K.’s craft sector.
Queen Camilla paired her flowery clutch with the same candy pink coat dress she wore to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's May 2018 royal wedding. The Anna Valentine design is trimmed with fringe detail at the seams, and she pinned Queen Elizabeth's favorite diamond starburst brooch to her jacket.
Instead of the fanciful feather-trimmed hat she wore to the wedding, Camilla chose a summery beige hat she's had in her closet for a number of years.
The Royal Hospital Chelsea is the home of the Chelsea Pensioners, who are retired members of the British Army. During its Founder's Day event, Queen Camilla paid tribute to the facility and it staff, saying, “You offer care, camaraderie and community to those men and women who have served our nation, whilst upholding the highest standards.”
However, she threw in some of her signature humor to the speech, adding, “At the same time, I gather from some ‘off-the-record’ conversations with pensioners, that it is also a place of secretive gin bars, port associations and the feeding of foxes, done at night to dodge the quartermaster.”
