Sweet moment Queen’s equerry is helped by boy, 4, in annual tradition of decorating a Clarence House Christmas tree with a blade – but Camilla warns ‘careful of the sword!’
- Yasir Ibrahim, four, helped the equerry at Clarence House earlier today
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This is the sweet moment a very helpful little boy stepped in to assist Queen Camilla’s equerry in decorating a Christmas tree with a sword this morning.
The royal, 76, has kicked off the festive season at Clarence House in fun style today during a reception for seriously ill children, and every festive box was ticked – including the equerry’s tradition.
Major Ollie Plunket was assigned the yearly task of adding to a Christmas tree by placing a decoration on the branches via the tip of his sword.
This year, Major Plunket received help from a fearless young guest called Yasir Ibrahim, four, who confidently helped place the ornament on the sword’s tip before seeing it up to the tree. The guests cheered as the pair completed the tradition for another year.
Yasir, who is deaf and has Sickle cell disease, enjoyed several attempts at placing a decoration on the tree after, and was also interested in grabbing the equerry’s blade, which led to Camilla stepping in and saying: ‘Careful of the sword.’
Major Ollie Plunket (pictured left) received help from four-year-old Yasir Ibrahim (pictured right) at Clarence House today
The four-year-old seemed to have a fun-filled day at Clarence House and even managed to get a high five from Her Majesty.
Yasir entertained the guests with his sweet personality, and they quickly cheered as he helped Major Plunket with the tricky task.
His mother, Zainab Abubakar, 35, of Telford, said: ‘It’s a big honour for us to be here and we are so happy.’
Camilla invites children supported by two of her charities, Helen & Douglas House and Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, for a special event at the official residence every year.
The little ones get treated like royalty for the day and help decorate the Christmas tree in the library.
For an extra special treat, they got a visit not only from royalty but from Father Christmas, who shook Camilla’s hand and bowed down, greeting her as ‘Your Majesty’.
The queen, dressed in a festive green velvet dress by Me + Em, was equally warm, saying ‘Father Christmas, I spy’ before meeting children. She added: ‘Here we go again. This is an especially lovely occasion.’
Clarence House looked splendidly festive, with an extravagant Christmas tree decorated with delicate ornaments.
The little boy, who is deaf and has Sickle cell disease, confidently stepped in to help the equerry fulfil the tradition
Camilla appeared particularly pleased when Ollie Plunket carried out the tradition of placing an ornament on a Christmas tree using the tip of his sword
Among the thrilled young guests was Dotty, eight, who was with her parents Liz and Ken Taylor from Bicester, and is a patient with Helen & Douglas House.
Dotty, who suffers from Cockayne, a DNA condition, gave Her Majesty a hand- painted Christmas card and threw her hand up in the air in excitement at meeting the Queen and Father Christmas.
Mrs Taylor said: ‘What a wonderful event and how amazing the Queen is for inviting us. They are memories we will treasure.’
Grace Howes, five, who is helped by the Roald Dahl charity, also gave Her Majesty a Christmas card. Queen Camilla admired her pretty pink dress.
But there was one important question for her from Grace: ‘Did Father Christmas get my letter?’ ‘He always does,’ the queen nodded solemnly.
Queen Camilla poses with a man dressed as Father Christmas as she invited children, supported by Helen & Douglas House and Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, to decorate the Christmas tree and receive a few festive surprises at Clarence House
In the Clarence House dining room, Dotty and other children tucked into a lunch of bangers, mash and other sweet treats.
Two reindeer, Dancer and Blitzen, were outside waiting for the children in the royal garden after they had finished.
Camilla was a natural with the reindeer and kept them very happy as she fed them out of her hand.
Throughout their visit the children were serenaded with Christmas carols performed by the Band and Bugles of The Rifles.
Lance Corporal Edward Watts, 29, played festive songs with musical instruments made with a hosepipe attached to a watering can and post horn.
The Queen helps a child as they decorate a Christmas tree together at Clarence House
Queen Camilla invited children, supported by Helen & Douglas House and Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity to a party at Clarence House where they got to pet some of Santa’s reindeer
The Queen proved she’s a good sport by serving sausage and mash with a broccoli crown – that looked rather like her own
Charlotte O’Neill, 31, of Birmingham, mother of Oscar-Ray, six, who has severe epilepsy and learning disabilities, said: ‘It means everything. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity. So many happy memories.
‘We placed the decoration on the tree with the sword, met Father Christmas and spoke to the Queen. We feel very blessed.’
In an address to the guests, the queen said: ‘I think this is the 18th year we have had this party and I can tell you from everybody at Clarence House it really does mean the beginning of Christmas.
‘We look forward to it every year. Also, I’d like to thank the marvellous children charities for doing what they do and helping so many parents helping their wonderful children making their lives easier.’
It comes amid a busy time for the royals, and yesterday evening, the King led his family in a show of unity tonight after a tumultuous week of royal revelations.
Camilla was all smiles as she decorated a Christmas tree with children, supported by Helen & Douglas House and Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity
Wearing a festive green velvet dress by Me + Em dress, the queen (pictured helping a child decorate a tree) spotted a familiar face: ‘Father Christmas, I spy’.
Accompanied by Queen Camilla and The Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles, 75, welcomed more than 500 dignitaries to Buckingham Palace for the glittering annual Diplomatic Reception.
The four most senior British Royal Family members posed together for a photograph before the ‘white tie and tiaras’ event.
Her Majesty looked regal in a cream embroidered evening gown by Fiona Clare and the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara. Kate appeared equally elegant in a shimmering Jenny Packham gown and her favourite Lover’s Knot Tiara.
The Reception celebrates the presence in London of one of the largest Diplomatic Corps in the world and saw Their Majesties meet representatives of countries accredited to the Court of St. James.
Last night’s royal show of unity will be seen as a sign of solitary following the furore of Omid Scobie’s new book after it emerged that a Dutch version contained the names of two family members accused by the Duchess of Sussex of ‘unconscious bias’.
Queen Camilla strokes a reindeer as she shares a smile with a child while at the Clarence House event
Camilla, pictured feeding a reindeer, wrapped up warm in a brown coat for today’s event
Among the thrilled young guests was Dotty, eight, who was with her parents Liz and Ken Taylor from Bicester, and is a patient with Helen & Douglas House
The book about the monarchy claimed Prince Harry’s wife Meghan, 42, had named the King himself as well as his daughter-in-law, Kate, 41, in letters she wrote to him on the issue.
Buckingham Palace has not commented publicly, but aides have made clear that the King and his senior advisors are ‘considering all options’ open to them over the unsubstantiated claims, including the possibility of legal action.
They have, however, been comforted by the sympathetic public reaction they have received to ‘revelations’ in the poorly-reviewed book and may decide to let that speak for itself.
For last night’s event, Kate wore a show-stopping Jenny Packham gold ‘Georgia’ gown costing approximately £5,000, which was embellished with sequins.
She has previously worn the design to the wedding reception of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Princess Rajwa in June 2023.
Equerry Major Ollie Plunket embellished the tree further and placed a decoration using his sword – a Christmas tradition that occurs each year at Clarence House
Queen Camilla greeted Father Christmas at Clarence House earlier today. The queen said ‘Father Christmas I Spy’ before meeting children
The annual event has been running for 18 years now and sees Camilla host a group of youngsters from Helen & Douglas House hospice and Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, along with their families and nurses, for a day they will never forget at Clarence House
The Princess sported her favourite Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara, which was a wedding gift to Princess Diana. She also sported the Royal Family Order and topped her outfit off with Her Late Majesty’s stunning Greville diamond chandelier earrings.
Camilla, meanwhile, put on a dazzling display in a cream embroidered evening gown by Fiona Clare. To further add to the glamour, Her Majesty donned the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, as well as the Garter Sash and Star in family order across the gown.
Last night’s event saw the King, his heir and their wives greet the great and good of the Diplomatic Corps – Ambassadors, High Commissioners and the like officially registered to the Court of St James’ – for pre-Christmas drinks in the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace.
As Head of State, The King plays a vital role in UK diplomacy, supporting the work of the Foreign Office at home and abroad.
The event will also have been the first time the King has been able to talk personally to his son and daughter-in-law since the latest row around the Duke and Duchess of Sussex broke.
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Sources have told the Mail that the family will be in ‘no rush’ to make their ‘carefully considered’ decision about how to progress.
Earlier in the day they were also out and about in force on a series of engagements. William surprised shoppers when he was spotted selling copies of the The Big Issue at a Tesco in Hammersmith, west London.
The prince was reunited with magazine seller Dave, whom he has met on several previous occasions, even exchanging Christmas cards.
Vendor Dave Martin told Mail Online: ‘William came down in the morning and helped me sell some magazines. He is a very nice man.
‘Helping me sell the magazines was a kind gesture. It’s very good that he’s helping the homeless. You can tell he does it because he cares.’
Meanwhile his wife met a little girl whose space-themed designs for a new children’s day surgery unit were inspired by her late father, who she says has now ‘gone to the stars’.
The princess chatted to Ella Moth, nine, who won a competition to design the artwork for the new unit at the Evelina Children’s Hospital in London.
She took her inspiration from the tragic death of her father, Piers, who died of brain cancer in 2021.
The Princess, who is patron of Evelina London, asked Ella: ‘How does it feel to have your design on the wall for other children to enjoy, being an inspiration for loads of other kids? Ella replied: ‘I didn’t think it would ever happen!’
The new facility, which cost £55million to build, allows children to be treated in one location on the same day, reducing the stress caused by numerous hospital visits.
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