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Queen Camilla Has Had Some Embarrassing Makeup Fails

When it comes to makeup, Queen Camilla was late to the game. Growing up, she was a horsey, jolly hockey sticks, no-nonsense kind of girl, often shunning such frivolities as lipstick and liner, preferring instead to spend her time mucking out the stables and blowing birds out of the sky with a shotgun. However, that all changed after Camilla's relationship with King Charles III was made official with their first public foray as a couple in January 1999. She was thrust into the spotlight and forced to be camera-ready whenever she stepped out the door. That inevitably included the application of cosmetics, which, given Camilla's multiple makeup mishaps, is a skill that she's clearly still struggling to master.

Camilla remains an outdoorsy type. However, due to having suffered multiple broken bones over the years, she's swapped her beloved horses for horticulture. And when digging in the garden, she can be gloriously bare-faced and au naturel. But when she puts down the trowel and picks up the tiara, it's time to also slap on the war paint.

There's a makeup mandate included in the strict rules that the royal family has to follow. It dictates the appropriate hues of lipstick and eyeshadow, among other edicts. However, Camilla has no problem with breaking royal protocol and applying bright and vivid colors, even if it results in an embarrassing makeup fail from time to time. We're checking out five of them.

Queen Camilla's cakey orange foundation

Queen Camilla ensured she stood out from the crowd when she visited Rye, East Sussex, in May 2024. However, it wasn't her royal status that set her apart. Instead, it was her caked-on foundation that resulted in a look to rival the best — or, perhaps, the worst — of Donald Trump's many orange makeup fails.

Unfortunately, Camilla appeared to have made the mistake that many people of a certain age do: using the wrong kind of foundation. "Mature skin tends to be on the drier side and has more fine lines, so it's best to avoid matte foundations that settle into crevices and look like a mask," Jodi Urichuk, L'Oréal Paris Canadian makeup artist and expert, explains on the company's website. "You want your true skin to shine through as you age, and glowing, hydrated skin is the best recipe for a more youthful look."

Given Camilla has used the same nail and makeup artist for over 15 years, you'd think she'd know better. And, she does, apparently. "I always opt for a light, natural color as a foundation, and tinted moisturizer is preferred depending on the season," the woman responsible for Camilla's beauty looks, Marina Sandoval, told Harper's Bazaar in November 2023. Well, perhaps she was on vacation that day.

Queen Camilla's Boebert brows

Queen Camilla continued to draw cosmetic inspiration from over the pond when she hosted an event for the Helen & Douglas House and Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity at Clarence House in December 2024. She also remained true to MAGA; however, Camilla paid homage to Lauren Boebert — another victim of bad makeup habits — this time rather than Donald Trump, with heavily drawn-on brows that would put even the controversial Colorado congresswoman firmly in the shade.

Camilla's makeup fail was made all the more evident due to the dark brown color she used, which looked far from natural given her snowy white hair. The royal also opted for a severe-looking, thick, straight brow rather than a more flattering curved arch. It's a look that Cara Delevingne totally rocks, but then, she's an international supermodel.

"Dark eyebrows can influence your perceived age significantly. If they're too dark for your complexion, they can create a harsh look that emphasizes imperfections, making you appear older," the website Cosmetic Tattoos by Rachael explains. "To achieve a youthful appearance, opt for shades one to two lighter than your hair, focus on filling in sparse areas, and ensure your brow shape is well-defined with a soft arch."

Queen Camilla's patchy pink lipstick

Queen Camilla toned down the Boebert brows when she attended the state banquet at Bellevue Palace, Berlin, Germany, in March 2023. However, sadly, she still suffered a makeup fail — this time, courtesy of her lipstick. Camilla's bright blue eyes sparkled in perfect harmony with the stunning diamond tiara on her head. Unfortunately, her patchy pink pout resulted in HRH falling short of the makeup mark.

Many suffer the same problem, leaving annoying and unsightly lipstick residue all over the side of a glass and making trips to the bathroom to check and top up the color during a night out. It's an easy fail to fix, though. "Instead of applying a thick layer of lipstick all at once, try building up the color in layers. Start with a thin layer of lipstick and blot your lips with a tissue," the beauty brand Aris Cosmetic advises. "Then, apply another thin layer and repeat until you achieve the desired intensity. This will help the lipstick adhere better to your lips and prevent patchiness."

Meanwhile, when it comes to lipstick, Camilla knows what she likes and likes what she knows. It's believed that one of her favorites is Tom Ford's Indian Rose Lip Color. She was snapped applying some while sitting in the center court royal box during the 2024 Wimbledon championships in London.

Queen Camilla's Bozo blusher

When Diana, Princess of Wales, first hit the spotlight, she was dubbed "Shy Di" due to her bashful demeanor and quickness to blush. However, that all changed once the horror show that was Prince Charles and Diana's marriage played out on the world stage. Her pink flush soon turned to red anger as she was tossed aside to make room for her longtime adversary, Queen Camilla. And it's safe to say that her spousal replacement would never be accused of timidness. Quite the opposite, in fact. 

Camilla is about as far from a shrinking violet as you can get. She's bold and brash and has likely never blushed in her life. Still, that doesn't stop her from faking it on occasion. That was all too apparent when Camilla rolled up to the Palace of Versailles in September 2023. She had clearly raided her blusher supply, brushing it all over her face with right royal gay abandon, resulting in a look that was more Bozo than bashful.

It seems that Camilla didn't take Marina Sandoval along for the ride, because she, like any good makeup artist worth their salt, knows: less is more, and placement is everything. "Apply the blusher a bit higher than you'd normally think, not in the middle of the cheek but on top of the cheekbones. Just a tiny amount. It can lift the face," Sandoval told The Telegraph of her application technique.

Queen Camilla's lipliner fail

Queen Camilla suffered another lippy-induced makeup fail in May 2012. That time, she was sporting a mysterious brown line underneath her bottom lip reminiscent of a coffee stain. However, it's doubtful she'd been downing a double espresso con panna; it was much more likely the result of a lip liner mishap.

The Beauty Bridge blog has advice on how to avoid unsightly lip underlines. "Usually, the lipstick fades faster than the lip liner that you have used, and the disappearing in the middle effect looks quite outdated," it explains. "... If you are planning to wear your lipstick all day long with minimal touch-ups and maximum pigmentation, then you need to use the Apply, Blot, Repeat mantra at least once."

You'd think that Camilla would be a pout-painting pro by now. According to her makeup artist, lipstick is the royal's favorite beauty product — which, let's face it, makes the prospect of picking out a gift for a lady who has everything a little less daunting. "For Christmas and her birthday, I'm always inclined to buy her a new lipstick," Marina Sandoval told Harper's Bazaar. Perhaps she can also throw in a tutorial on how to apply it next year.