Queen Camilla's Page of Honour suffers injury ahead of coronation

Queen Consort Camilla's grandson Gus Lopes may have to wear a sling when he performs his role as Page of Honour during the coronation service in London's Westminster Abbey on May 6.

In his piece for the Daily Mail, royal commentator Richard Eden cited a friend who revealed that the 13-year-old "broke his arm in a bike accident while on a holiday." He had to wear a cast but it has since been removed and has been told that he must have his arm "in a sling on the big day."

Gus and his twin brother Louis are the sons of Camilla's daughter Laura Lopes and husband Harry Lopes. They will serve as their grandmother's Pages of Honour during the coronation ceremony. Camilla's other grandchild Freddy Parker Bowles, from her son Tom Parker Bowles, and her great-nephew Arthur Elliot, will also serve as Pages of Honour. Their task is to carry her robes during the procession through Westminster Abbey.

Despite the injury, Gus is expected to carry on with his role at the coronation albeit with one hand. He was seen wearing a sling during a rehearsal at the abbey on Wednesday. The Duchess of Cornwall was also seen leaving the practice with her grandsons in the car. Prince William and Kate Middleton were also spotted with their children Prince George, Prince Louis, and Princess Charlotte at the rehearsal.

Speaking about his son's role at the coronation Tom said, "I don't think he knows quite how big it's going to be, I don't think he has a sense of the occasion. He's a 13-year-old boy who loves football. We're just there to support our mother. I'm no expert on this."

The 48-year-old food critic and his sister Laura will be there to support their mother and King Charles III at the coronation. When asked during an interview on the Apple News podcast "The News Agents" if it feels strange to call her "Queen," he admitted "not really" since she is still their mother.

"She's our mother. Change happens but I don't care what anyone says — this wasn't any sort of end game. She married the person she loved, and this is what happened."

Despite the build-up of anxiety nearing the big day, Tom praised his mother and King Charles III for "doing amazingly." She said of Queen Consort Camilla, "She's 75, but you know, it's tough to do it. But she's never complained. You just do it. Get on with it."

As the coronation draws closer, the Queen's stylist Jo Hansford said she is certain that the royal "is nervous like any other person would be nervous." She also shared her concern over the difficult task of putting on the crown without changing the hairstyle.

Hansford has worked with the Duchess of Cornwall for 35 years as her hair stylist so she knows that the royal's short hair must be styled in a way that it can accommodate a crown. Unfortunately, she would not be on hand to assist as she will only be watching the coronation from the telly.

Aside from the coronation, Camilla's family has previously also participated in momentous royal events although they have mostly stayed out of the spotlight. Tom and Laura attended their mother's wedding to then Prince Charles in 2005 and Laura's daughter Eliza, 15, was the youngest bridesmaid during Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011.

Most recently, Queen Consort Camilla's children and grandchildren attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. According to Eden, Laura's children also joined the royals for Christmas at Sandringham in Norfolk. He claimed that Camilla's ex-husband, Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, is among the 2,200 guests invited to the coronation.