The Queen visited the set of Disney+’s hit show, Rivals.

queen
Queen Camilla visited the set of Rivals (Image: Getty)

In a fitting tribute to her late friend, Dame Jilly Cooper, Queen Camilla travelled to Bristol on Monday to visit the set of Disney+’s Rivals as it films its second series. Following Dame Jilly’s sad death back in October, the Queen shared a heartbreaking message to remember her “wonderfully witty and compassionate friend.”

The Queen’s outing today to visit the sets of the famously raunchy show saw her meet several members of the cast, including Alex Hassell (Rupert Campbell-Black), Aidan Turner (Declan O’Hara), David Tennant (Lord Tony Baddingham), Victoria Smurfit (Maud O’Hara), Bella Maclean (Taggie O’Hara) and Nafessa Williams (Cameron Cook).

Camilla, who arrived with her daughter, Laura Lopes, toured several of the TV show sets and used her visit to celebrate British television production and the youth opportunities the show has provided in the creative industries in the South West.

queen

The Queen stood between actresses Victoria Smurfit and Nafessa Williams (Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc)

queen
The Queen proudly posed with a bag of goodies (Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc)

Rivals is based on Dame Jilly’s best-selling novel, which was first published in 1988 and joined her Rutshire Chronicles series, which also includes books such as Polo, Riders and The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous. In an extra tribute to her late friend, the Queen met members of Dame Jilly’s family who travelled to the set for the visit.

Elsewhere during her tour, Her Majesty met local trainees from the Bristol area who are part of production for the latest season. The production team works with All Set West, the BFI National Lottery-funded skills package co-delivered by The Bottle Yard Studios. All Set West is designed to support diverse entry-level talent from the region into scripted film/TV production careers.

The Queen’s visit also saw her take a step back in time as she toured the costume department to view outfits and designs from the 1980s. Interestingly, the production team also collaborated with The King’s Foundation, and a member of the King’s Foundation alumni from the Foundation will be present to discuss and show some of the pieces that have been worked on for the series.

queen
The Queen was very close with Dame Jilly Cooper (Image: Getty)

Writing back in October following Dame Jilly Cooper’s death, the Queen said: “I was so saddened to learn of Dame Jilly’s death last night. Very few writers get to be a legend in their own lifetime, but Jilly was one, creating a whole new genre of literature and making it her own through a career that spanned over five decades.

“In person, she was a wonderfully witty and compassionate friend to me and so many – and it was a particular pleasure to see her just a few weeks ago at my Queen’s Reading Room Festival, where she was, as ever, a star of the show.

“I join my husband, The King, in sending our thoughts and sympathies to all her family. And may her hereafter be filled with impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs. Camilla R.”