Duchess Camilla and Geri Horner team up to honor Queen after awkward encounter

Duchess Camilla and Geri Horner have teamed up to launch this year's Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition—just a few months after their awkward encounter at St. James' Palace. 

• Duchess Camilla and Geri Horner have joined forces to launch the Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition 2022. 
• The exciting collaboration comes just a few months after Camilla suffered an awkward exchange with the Spice Girl at a reception at St. James's Palace in London. 
• In other royal news, Russian billionaire unable to pay rent money to Queen after UK sanctions.
   

Duchess Camilla has been joined by Geri Horner to launch the Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition 2022, marking the pair's first joint project since that awkward encounter last year. 

The future Queen Consort confirmed on Tuesday that submissions for the world's oldest writing contest for schools are now being accepted, encouraging young people from across the 54 Commonwealth states to "put your thinking caps on" and "get writing."

Entrants have been called to take heed of the service of Her Majesty as she celebrates her Platinum Jubilee and "explore the positive impact that can be achieved through dedication and selfless commitment to our Commonwealth family." 

"Your powerful stories, essays, poetry, and letters from around the Commonwealth never fail to bring us together as a community. I look forward to reading this year's winning entries," Duchess Camilla, who is also the vice-patron of the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), said in a video filmed at Clarence House. 

Geri Horner, an RCS ambassador, also appeared in the clip to invite aspiring writers to take part. Wearing a white headband and button-up white blouse, the former Spice Girl gushed that the Queen's 'seven decades of service is inspirational', before calling it an 'example of the contribution we can make in our own communities.' 

Her short speech was followed by fellow RCS ambassador and children's author, David Walliams, who revealed that this year's theme would be 'Our Commonwealth'. Photos of the Queen and words from a former winner and runner-up of the 2021 competition were also featured in the video. 

Geri's joint project with the Duchess comes just a few months after her uncomfortable moment with the royal icon made headlines last year. 

Ginger Spice met Camilla at a reception for the winners of the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2021 in October, and by the look of the photos, the 74-year-old was a little taken aback by her guest's enthusiasm. 

According to body language expert Judi James, Duchess Camilla showed a 'desire for space' when she was approached by the Wannabe singer at St. James's Palace in London. 

"Camilla looks less relaxed here and as she parts from the greeting she performed three gestures that imply a desire for space: First she places her hands in a forward steeple, which is a gesture of authority and distance," she explains. 

"Then she places her hands behind her back which avoids touch, then she laughingly performs a ‘stop’ gesture with her flattened palm out towards Geri." 

Fortunately, it looks like the social faux pas wasn't enough to banish the lovable Spice Girl from Camilla's good books. The VIP ladies went on to enjoy a friendly chat almost immediately after the exchange, with the Duchess reportedly confiding in Geri that Prince Charles is a complete workaholic. 

Here's hoping they get the chance to catch up once again at the essay competition reception later this year—and maybe avoid any physical blunders this time.