Photo portraits of relaxed Camilla released to mark her 70th birthday

A portrait of the Duchess of Cornwall perched on an ornamental stone lion in the garden of Clarence House has been released to mark her 70th birthday.

A relaxed looking Camilla, in blue denim jeans, open-necked white blouse and navy blazer, was captured by celebrity photographer Mario Testino.

It is the second Testino image Clarence House has released to mark Monday’s milestone.

Testino also shot a double portrait of Camilla with the Prince of Wales.

The royal couple were photographed in May in the morning room at Clarence House, with the Duchess wearing a navy blue dress coat with white embroidery by Fiona Clare, while the Prince wears a suit, shirt and tie.

Testino paid tribute to the Duchess, describing her as a “beautiful person”.

He was Diana, Princess of Wales’s favourite photographer, has taken pictures of the Prince and his sons – the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry – several times, and photographed Charles and Camilla to mark their first wedding anniversary in 2006.

The photographer said: “I’m honoured to document their royal highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall on this very important date.

“I first photographed the Duchess after her wedding to the Prince on a commission from British Vogue in 2006, and discovered a kind and beautiful person with a wonderful sense of humour.

“Doing this latest assignment to celebrate Her Royal Highness’s 70th birthday is a true honour.”

Testino was one of hundreds of guests at a Clarence House garden party on Thursday for the Duchess to acknowledge the people she works with, from charity bosses to celebrities.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Camilla said she believed hard work was necessary to keep the effects of ageing at the door.

Asked about her 70th birthday, she told the paper: “It is the last thing I want to talk about.

“Truthfully, though, I think if you don’t keep your grey cells working and you don’t keep going, you’ll just sit down and watch the day go by. But if you keep your grey cells working, I think it helps keep you young.”

“I’m not sure about being officially old. The trouble is that I don’t feel it in my head,” she said.

“Sometimes I still feel a teenager, but then other bits of your body don’t quite agree. When your feet are screaming in agony at the end of the day, I realise that perhaps, you know, I am getting older.”