King Charles mingles with Claudia Winkleman at British Museum

Ben McCaffrey
Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:08:05 +0000

King Charles III today met TV presenter Claudia Winkleman outside the British Museum during public commemorations for Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday.

The iconic British broadcaster, known for her roles on TV shows The Traitors and Strictly Come Dancing, stood next to British artist Dame Tracey Emin and designer Erdem Moralioglu, who contributed to the Queen Elizabeth II fashion exhibition the King visited yesterday.

Mrs Winklemam met the King outside the iconic museum, alongside Queen Camilla and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Dame Emin, Mrs Winkleman, Mrs Moralioglu and presenter Martha Kearney, all trustees of the British Museum, met the reigning monarchs as they departed the building.

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Mrs Winkleman sported a smart black blazer over a crisp white shirt, matching her trademark coal-coloured bangs, as she let out a beaming smile upon meeting the reigning monarch.

Lady Sarah Chatto, who was warmly welcomed by the King and Queen for the fashion exhibition on Monday evening, was also present.

She stepped out on the gloriously sunny morning wearing a vivid pink top under a warm orange jumper, with a dark blue coat over it.

The group were viewing the final masterplan for the upcoming Queen Elizabeth memorial in St James's Park, designed by legendary architect Lord Foster.

They were shown a scale model of the memorial during their time in the Reading Room.

A short film showcasing design elements was also screened for the King and Queen, who additionally viewed various artwork displays related to the project.

A new cast-glass bridge inspired by Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara will be erected in the plans, allowing visitors to cross the elegant waters in the park without creating an eyesore.

The bridge will be lifted into the park during the night, so as not to disturb the peaceful surroundings, Lord Foster revealed to the surprise of the monarchs.

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Speaking to the designer Lord Foster, King Charles said: "It's a wonderful idea for the bridge to be based on the Russian fringe tiara, the one that my mama wore at her wedding".

The monarch also described the memorial as "fantastic" and praised the idea of adding "subtle lighting" at night to the new Queen Elizabeth Bridge.

Queen Camilla also expressed her delight with the bridge, proclaiming: "I love that bridge. It’s just lovely. It has a lovely twinkle."

Martin Jennings, Yinka Shonibare and Karen Newman, who have been commissioned to design sculptures such as The Commonwealth Wind Sculpture and the 7.3 metre Queen Elizabeth statue, presented maquettes of their planned works.

These small-scale models, along with Lord Foster's memorial design, will be available for public viewing at the British Museum.

The designer said: "Her Majesty and His Majesty were really enthusiastic about the project, and because I’ve had the privilege of presenting it several times as it’s grown and evolved, it’s been very much a shared experience.

"His Majesty and Her Majesty have been just wonderfully supporting along the way, and have made points of the design which have been, in the very nature of those exchanges, respected and incorporated into the final project."