Queen Camilla offered royal fans a rare insight into her and King Charles' life as a married couple during a Commonwealth event in Samoa back in 2024, relaying a tale of men resting while women worked through the night.
Of her own experience of the work ethic of men, Queen Camilla said: "As one whose husband is often toiling into the small hours, long after my head is on the pillow, I should stress there are plenty of exceptions!"
© GettyWhile the royal seemed jovial about her husband's hardworking nature, chartered psychologist Dr. Mark Rackley, who hosts the I Have Issues podcast, previously cautioned that working late into the night can cause health struggles, noting that sleep deprivation is used as a means of torture, as it dysregulates the brain and causes extreme symptoms.
"When [our sleep] cycle is disrupted, the impact of that disruption causes physical and mental fatigue," he explained.
"Working late into the night can disrupt the circadian pacemaker, as we are awake when our body wants us to sleep. It can also cause sleep deprivation, which impairs the brain's ability to function. There is a reason why sleep deprivation is used as a means of torture, as it dysregulates the brain and causes extreme symptoms," Dr. Rackley continued.
© GettyThe dangers of working late
King Charles is naturally under a lot of pressure in his role, and Dr. Rackley explains the issues that sleeplessness can cause in the long term.
"If your job requires you to work late on a regular basis this can lead to sleep deficit, meaning the brain is operating daily from a reduced energy base.
© Getty"This reduction of energy can lead to poor concentration, poor focus, emotional dysregulation and mood disturbance. We can become apathetic and resent our job and what it is doing to us."
We saw signs of this when a recently bereaved King Charles became irate with a pen, shortly after his mother died. Likely the pressure was piled on, along with raw grief, disturbing his usual upbeat, calm mood. Revisit the moment (which King Charles has since joked about) below...
While King Charles is likely productive in the wee hours, away from distractions of the day, Dr. Rackley added that working late does not enhance our performance, noting that it actually weakens it as we do not have the full capacity of our brain available to us.
King Charles and Queen Camilla's sleeping habits
When he does find time to rest, King Charles is very particular about his sleep - and particularly when travels. He reportedly packs his personal furniture to ensure his comfort matches the standards of his private homes.
© WireImageAccording to investigative journalist Tom Bower’s book Rebel King, the 77-year-old monarch and Queen Camilla, 78, frequently send staff ahead of their arrival to replace a host’s guest room fittings with their own belongings, including specific bed frames, linens, and orthopaedic mattresses.
This royal luggage is reportedly so extensive that it covers everything from the King’s preferred toilet seat to Queen Camilla’s personal paintings of the Scottish Highlands, ensuring that no matter where they stay, their environment is a replica of their own private quarters.
