Camilla, the Queen Consort, visited the set of the television series Rivals in Bristol on Tuesday, taking a behind-the-scenes tour to support the UK’s film and television industry. The show, which has gained popularity on Disney+, is based on the works of the late author Dame Jilly Cooper, who passed away in October at the age of 88.

During the visit, Camilla met several cast members, including Alex Hassell, who portrays the character Rupert Campbell-Black, and David Tennant, who plays the show’s antagonist. Other actors present included Victoria Smurfit, Bella Maclean, and Nafessa Williams. The Queen Consort praised the production and noted she had watched the series during a recent illness, describing how binge-watching the program helped lift her spirits amid a bout of pneumonia.

Rivals is set in the fictional county of Rutshire and explores the flamboyant, often risqué world of 1980s regional television, drawing from Cooper’s reputation as the "Queen of the bonkbusters." The series revolves around the intertwined personal and professional lives of its characters, with Campbell-Black as a notorious womanizer—a role reportedly inspired by Camilla’s former husband, Andrew Parker Bowles.

At one point during the tour, Camilla was invited to share tea and cake in the kitchen of the fictional O’Hara family with cast members. She complimented Hassell on the show’s enjoyable atmosphere. Hassell commented on the camaraderie among the cast, which helped ease some of the challenges of filming intimate or provocative scenes. He noted that maintaining a serious demeanor during such moments could be difficult, with laughter often breaking through.

Camilla also paid tribute to Dame Jilly Cooper, reflecting on the friendship they had shared over several decades. Actress Victoria Smurfit noted that Cooper was intended to be present during the visit and emphasized the enduring influence of the author’s writing among the cast, referring to their immersion in the “Cooper-verse.”

Before leaving, the Queen Consort was presented with a gift bag featuring the slogan “I Love Jilly Cooper.” She also mentioned to Smurfit that she had read all of Cooper’s books, admitting she "galloped through them," reinforcing her personal connection to the series and the author’s work.

The visit coincided with ongoing filming for the show’s second season, highlighting continued investment in British television drama and creative storytelling.