Duchess Camilla delayed for royal engagement as thousands flock to summer solstice celebrations

Duchess Camilla was delayed when attending the Chalke Valley History festival, because a number of people were busy preparing for the summer solstice celebrations.

• Camilla Parker Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall officially opened the Chalke Valley History Festival on Monday, June 20.
• The Duchess was delayed for a peculiar reason but didn't allow this to get in the way of the fun.
• In other royal news, why Princess Diana allowed William and Harry to skip traditional Royal meals on Saturday nights.

The Duchess of Cornwall is a known lover of literature and was proud to open this history festival as she praised historical novelists in a speech at the event.

"We are very lucky to have two of our finest historical novelists with us here today. Through their books, they have captivated literally millions of readers across the globe, including me, and they have given a voice to women who, for centuries, have been overlooked, forgotten or misunderstood," said the Duchess in a speech.

At this event, royal fans claimed that Duchess Camilla an ‘amazing support’ to future monarch Prince Charles, and were impressed by the royal's determination when it came to discussing the importance of history and literature.

However, it wasn't all plain sailing for the Duchess, who was in fact delayed when attending the event in Wiltshire. 

Every year on June 21, people across the UK celebrate the summer solstice, which marks the longest day of the year. This event has been celebrated since ancient times and is still marked by modern-day druids and pagans. 

Many of those who celebrate join at stone henge and watch as the sun rises on the longest day of the year. The celebrations at Stone Henge, which is also in Wiltshire, caused delays on the road which also led to the Duchess being delayed in traffic jams.

Following the Duchess' delayed arrival at the event, organizers of the event announced, "Her Royal Highness is stuck in traffic".

The Wiltshire police were aware of possible delays and Superintendent Conway Duncan, from Wiltshire Police, said ahead of the solstice, "We know that Summer Solstice is a very important date in the calendar for many people, who will be planning to travel to Wiltshire to mark the occasion."

"Due to the pandemic, this is the first time in a few years that people will be able to return to Stonehenge for Solstice and we have been working hard to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Please make sure you are aware of any parking restrictions, road closures and travel plans in advance to minimise disruption for yourself and other attendees."

Despite the delays, the Duchess arrived in high spirits and seemed delighted to officially open the festival. Fans praised the Duchess for her dedication and many took to social media to praise her.

"So Wonderful of The Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Supporting the Chalk Valley History Festival fantastic Topic as well," said one fan. "I just love how the Duchess champions and cherishes literature," said another.