Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Queen Camilla's modern new beauty look explained

The wife of King Charles recently departed from her classic minimal makeup look


Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall attends day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 15, 2022 in Ascot, England.
Georgia Brown
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
On 9 November 2023
Share this:

Queen Camilla made history in a recycled dress as she joined King Charles for the first State Opening of Parliament of his reign on Tuesday. 

The royal, 73, looked immaculate in her Coronation gown, rewearing the beautiful ivory silk dress that British designer Bruce Oldfield spent six years making. In another royal first, Camilla wore the late Queen Elizabeth II's beloved George VI Diadem (also known as the Diamond Diadem, or the State Diadem). 

Aside from the pomp and pageantry of the annual occasion, which saw Princess Anne reprise her coronation role as the Gold Stick-in-Waiting, Queen Camilla debuted an unexpected new beauty look as she sported a fuller, enhanced lip.

WATCH: 100 years of royal beauty revisted

Queen Camilla's beauty look has been classically conservative for most of her life in the royal spotlight. While she usually opts for a "less is more" approach, the royal rocked an undeniably glamorous aesthetic on Tuesday - complete with darker brows, liquid eyeliner and plump, pink lip.

The royal appeared to have overlined her natural lip line with a deep blush hue, exaggerating her cupid's bow and creating a larger lower lip effect with a matte pink lipstick. 

Queen Camilla riding in carriage © Getty Images
Queen Camilla's lips appeared much fuller than usual

"Fuller lips can have a transformative effect on a person's facial shape, enhancing their overall appearance in several ways," says Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Amanda Azzopardi.

LOOK: Get closer to the royals! HELLO!'s new club for its biggest royal fans is here

Speaking to HELLO!, Amanda, who runs an aesthetics clinic in Liverpool, explained that fuller lips not only convey a youthful appearance, but can create a more harmonious relationship between the upper and lower parts of the face - which typically lose volume as we age. While it is possible to achieve a remarkably natural look with cosmetic lip enhancements such as filler or semi-permanent makeup, a fuller lip can easily be achieved with beauty products. 

The royal's loops looked fuller, with a more defined cupid's bow and larger bottom lip© Getty
The royal's loops looked fuller, with a more defined cupid's bow and larger bottom lip

"To avoid an unnatural appearance when overlining the lips, it's best to avoid exaggeration. Overlining should be subtle, focused on enhancing the natural lip shape rather than dramatically altering it," she says.

"I'd recommend drawing sharp edges, instead blending the overlined areas to achieve a more natural effect. Additionally, selecting the right lip liner and lipstick shades is key; the colours should match the natural lip colour to prevent a noticeable contrast and maintain a subtle appearance."

queen camilla in carriage © Getty Images
Queen Camilla amped up the glamour of her beauty look as she wore the George VI Diadem

As far as cosmetic lip enhancements go, those who wish to achieve the Queen's fuller lip look without the help of makeup should err on the side of caution, warns Amanda. "For older clients, we always take extra care to ensure that lip enhancements do not exacerbate existing skin issues or cause excessive wrinkles. A more gradual approach to lip enhancement is often recommended for older individuals to achieve a natural look, as building up volume over time can be safer and more appropriate." 

It may come as no surprise that Camilla chose to enhance her lips for the royal occasion, considering her beloved makeup artist of 15 years - Marina Sandoval - told Harper's Bazaar that lipstick was a favourite product of the Queen’s.

"For Christmas and her birthday, I’m always inclined to buy her a new lipstick," revealed the MUA.

LISTEN: Find out what Prince William's name will be when he becomes King

More Beauty

See more