There’s nothing more delightful than getting a glimpse into the TV viewing habits of actual royalty. Enter Queen Camilla’s surprise visit to the set of the award-winning Disney+ series, Rivals, this week. The delightfully raunchy TV show, which is in the midst of filming season two in Bristol, England, is based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s “bonkbuster” book series of the same name. Is Queen Camilla a fan of the sexy and highly addictive TV drama? Yes. But she also had a personal connection to the author, who passed away unexpectedly in October.
Queen Camilla Pays Rare Visit to TV Show Set—and Confesses She Binge-Watches the Sexy Series
Same, Camilla, same
Published Dec 9, 2025
•5:19pm
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Disney+ UK
#TBT to last fall when Queen Camilla was forced to bow out of some royal engagements due to an ongoing case of pneumonia. Well, as it turns out, while she was laid up on the royal couch, she had the perfect distraction: Rivals. She revealed to cast members—including stars David Tennant and Alex Hassell—while on set that she “binge-watched” the first season and “felt much better afterwards,” according to The Telegraph.
Disney+ UK
That’s not all: Camilla’s relationship with Cooper ran deep, so much so that the queen issued a rare personal tribute when she passed. “May her hereafter be filled with impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs,” she wrote. The pair were famously long-time friends with Camilla sharing on set that she “galloped through” Cooper’s books when they were first released.
For anyone unfamiliar with the Cotswalds-based show, it takes place during the 1980s and is soapy and fun. About a ruthless director of a local TV network (played by Tennant) and his ongoing rivalry with Tory MP and local heartthrob (Hassell), the series serves up the sexiest twists and turns. (Similar to Camilla, I binged it in just a couple of days while on mat leave.)
Disney+ Hulu
With her daughter, Laura Lopes, as her plus one, the queen met with cast members and took time to enjoy a pot of tea with Tennant, Hassell and other actors and crew members on set.
As for when season two is set to return? Disney+ has confirmed 2026. If you need me, I’ll be re-watching the first season and counting the days.
