Every now and then, the royals have an off-duty moment when they forget the world is watching. That is exactly what happened to Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot in June 2026.
I was on the ground on the day, and luckily got to see King Charles, Queen Camilla and other royal family members riding in their royal carriages around the parade ring. Once the races kicked off, they retreated to their private box for the perfect view and King Charles and Queen Camilla were seen clutching their binoculars to see the action. In one blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, Queen Camilla let her bad habit slip out…
© UK Press via Getty ImagesWhat really happened in the Royal Box?
In all of the nerves of the race, Camilla appeared to begin biting her nail - there's a reason they call it 'nail-biting' action! It was a brief moment, and she quickly resumed using her binoculars. It's the first time we've seen Her Majesty do such a thing, so perhaps it was just the tense race that brought on the reflex.
Other nail-biting royals
Princess Diana was a well-known nail biter, but she finally managed to kick her habit for good. Hairdresser Sam McKnight, who styled the royal for Vogue magazine, revealed to the Daily Mail that at the time of one of their shoots, she had just kicked her bad habit. "She had just stopped biting her nails and was so proud of how they looked," he said.
© Getty ImagesIt is said that she passed down her habit to her eldest son, Prince William, who has been caught on camera appearing to chomp on his nails.
© Getty ImagesSomething William and Meghan Markle have in common is this habit, as the Duchess of Sussex used to succumb to it too. However, she did make it her New Year's Resolution on her blog, The Tig, back in 2016. "And when it comes to the biting of the nails – well, it still happens with a turbulent flight or a stressful day. It's unladylike. But then again, so is the swearing. Dammit," she penned. It is unknown if she still bites her nails today.
