Why Queen Camilla Flew on a Commercial Flight Back Home to the U.K.
Queen Camilla shocked travelers when she casually walked through the airport with minimal security as she departed the United States to go back home to London, England.
Camilla, 78, could be seen in videos posted to social media walking through a US airport wearing the same blue long-sleeve dress with black heels she wore to her April 30 engagements in Virginia. As for King Charles, 77, he went on to the second leg of his royal tour in Bermuda, marking his first official trip to a British Overseas Territory as monarch.
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Charles and Camilla arrived stateside together on April 27 for their four-day trip to Washington, D.C., New York City, and Virginia. The couple parting ways at the end of their state visit was always on their agenda. Although Buckingham Palace did not give an official reason why, the queen consort is known not to be a fan of flying, which may explain why she also chose a commercial flight home instead of taking a private plane.
The Duchess of Cornwall does not like traveling and prefers to fly commercial in an effort to shorten her time in the air. Flying commercial also gives her a lower profile and creates a more accessible image as a senior member of the royal family. Other royals, including Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince William, and Kate Middleton, have also been known to take occasional trips on commercial planes.
Camilla's dislike of flying goes beyond discomfort, as she has expressed having a real fear. In April 2018, a Clarence House spokesman confirmed she cut her trip short while on a royal tour for the Commonwealth Games with Charles due to the stress around flying and wanting to limit her time in the air.
"The Duchess does not like flying, but I think she has to sometimes embrace that fear," the spokesman said at the time.
Despite not loving the means of getting there, Charles and Camilla enjoyed their time in the US to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence and smooth tensions between the countries. The royals were first hosted by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House. Charles gave a historic speech in front of Congress, only the second time in history after his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did the same in 1991. The monarch and his wife also visited Arlington Cemetery in Virginia, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City, and attended a block party in the historic town of Front Royal, Virginia.
Charles and Camilla penned a heartfelt social media post about their visit, writing, "🇺🇸 Farewell and thank you for the warmth of your welcome and the kind support you gave us throughout our first visit to the US as King and Queen, in this, your special anniversary year. We leave a piece of our ❤️ behind and take a little of yours back home with us. Until the next time … God Bless America. - Charles R. & Camilla R."
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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 11:29 PM.