King Charles Plans to Surprise Queen Camilla With an Extremely Special Gift After a Tumultuous Year

The monarch shared his not-so-secret plans with a celebrity at the Royal Variety Performance.

Queen Camilla wears a sparkling tiara and a black dress with a white floral design, while King Charles wears a formal suit with medals and a red sash
(Image credit: Getty Images/Samir Hussein/WireImage)

King Charles is reportedly hoping to lift his wife's spirits following a multitude of difficult events occurring in 2024.

According to Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden, King Charles shared his not-so-secret plan with her at the Royal Variety Performance late last year. "We talked a lot about Battersea Dogs Home and how he and Camilla would probably get another dog this year," Holden explained (via the Daily Mail). Holden also said of Charles, "I think he's got a great sense of humor."

In Feb. 2024, it was announced that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer. In Nov. 2024, Charles and Camilla shared the death of a beloved family member—their Jack Russell Terrier, Beth, whom they adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

According to Holden, Charles hopes to adopt another dog for his wife, which would be the perfect salve after a tumultuous year.

The King and Queen shared the news of Beth's death on Instagram, writing, "A sad farewell to Beth, The Queen's much-loved companion from @Battersea Dogs and Cats Home who brought such joy, whether on walkies, helping on official duties, or curled up by the fire."

During an appearance on The Sun's "Royal Exclusive" show, royal photographer Arthur Edwards said, "Camilla would have been left heartbroken by the recent death of her rescue Jack Russell, Beth." He continued, "I remember once seeing [the dog] on an engagement down in Wiltshire, and the lady that walks them every day came along to see The Queen doing this engagement." Edwards explained, "When she got out of the car and saw the dogs, she went over and played with the dogs, and it made a better picture than the rest of the engagement."

King Charles wears a tweed overcoat while attending church on Christmas Day with wife Queen Camilla, who wears a large black fur hat, and King Charles laughs at a cell phone with sons Prince William and Prince Harry

"Camilla would have been left heartbroken by the recent death of her rescue Jack Russell, Beth."

(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images/Chris Jackson)

It seems that Beth held an important place in Camilla's heart, with Edwards telling the outlet, "They were special to her and also to The King. I mean, The King absolutely loves animals...She would be upset about that."

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.