Snakes, spiders and heights are all very common phobias, alongside the fear of flying, with an estimated 40 per cent of people experiencing some form of anxiety every time they board a plane.
Queen Camilla, 79, has been a long-standing sufferer of aerophobia, and she's been very open about her issue in the past. In fact, the royal doesn't always accompany her husband on overseas visits for this very reason.
© Photo: Getty ImagesShe even cut short a visit to Australia in April 2018, with a Clarence House spokesman saying at the time: "The Duchess does not like flying but I think she has to sometimes embrace that fear." Harley Street hypnotherapist and phobia expert, Christopher Paul Jones, has worked with thousands of people to tackle their fears, including British actress Naomie Harris, and recently gave HELLO! an insight into Camilla's particular phobia and advised how best she can tackle it.
"Fear of flying is rarely about the plane, it is usually about feeling out of control."
He told us: "Fear of flying is rarely about the plane, it is usually about feeling out of control." He further explained: "Fear of flying is usually made up of several different elements rather than just one. For some people, it can involve a fear of heights; for others, the feeling of being trapped, the movement of turbulence, or the sense of being out of control. Quite often it is also a fear of the fear itself, worrying that they might panic, feel anxious or embarrass themselves during the flight."
How can Camilla get over her fear of flying?
The good news is that Christopher is positive that anyone can reverse their fear. "Most fears aren't things we're born with; they're associations our mind has created at some point in the past. Because that response is learned, it can also be changed.
"When the trigger and the associations behind the fear are identified and changed, the emotional response can change as well, which is why many phobias can be reduced or removed once the brain learns a different way to respond."
Some phobias can have a stronger hold than others when an element of control is involved. "If someone has a strong need to control situations that are naturally uncertain, or if there is what we call a secondary gain, where the subconscious believes the fear is somehow keeping them safe or prepared, it can make change take longer," says Christopher. "But with the right approach, some self-reflection and a willingness to work on it, I believe most people can overcome their phobias."
"With the right approach, some self-reflection and a willingness to work on it, I believe most people can overcome their phobias.
Christopher uses a mix of techniques with his patients, including cognitive behavioural therapy, timeline therapy, emotionally-focused therapy (EFT) and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy (EMDR). Camilla would be encouraged to trace back to the root cause of her phobia and scramble the bad memories, as well as make new positive associations.
On-board incident that furthered her fear
Queen Camilla's fear no doubt worsened after an alleged on-board incident during a commercial British Airways flight she boarded in October 2022. According to the Daily Mail, the plane struck a bird mid-air as it approached Heathrow for landing, leaving a dent in the nose of the aircraft.
The incident occurred when Camilla was reportedly taking a private trip to one of her favorite relaxation spots, the Soukya spa in Bangalore, India. In a statement to Royal Central at the time, British Airways said, “The aircraft landed safely, and customers disembarked as normal.”
Queen Camilla's needle phobia
© Photo: Getty ImagesWhile Camilla grapples with her fear of flying for royal duties, she had to tackle another phobia for health benefits. Camilla has opened up in the past about a fear of needles, which she had to overcome during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to have the vaccine. Christopher explains: "Fear of needles is also extremely common and often begins with what is sometimes called white coat syndrome, which is a negative emotional association with medical environments. The trigger might be something simple, like a painful or frightening injection when someone was very young.
"Even years later, the brain can still react as if that five- or six-year-old experience is happening again. In other cases, the fear is not really about the needle itself but about what the brain has linked to hospitals or doctors. For example, someone might associate medical settings with illness or distress if they experienced a difficult moment involving a loved one in hospital."
