Camilla reveals surprising way she is keeping fit during lockdown

The Duchess of Cornwall, 72, who is staying with Prince Charles at their Scottish residence Birkhall, has been practising ballet. Camilla is also walking and doing pilates as part of her

exercise routine. In a video call with former Strictly Come Dancing judge Dame Darcey Bussell and broadcaster Angela Rippon, Camilla told how she started weekly Royal Academy of Dance (RAD)

Silver Swans classes with a group of friends around 18 months ago. The ballet sessions are designed for older learners to improve mobility, posture, co-ordination and energy levels. Camilla

said: "I do a combination of a bit of Silver Swans and a bit of pilates and a lot of walking which I love. "We've all got to keep active. If we don't we'll seize up

and won't be able to get out of bed in the morning." The 72-year-old, who was announced as the new vice-patron of RAD on Wednesday, said she had not tried ballet before taking the

classes. She said: "Sarah, the wonderful teacher, said to me 'Would you ever consider having a lesson?', so I got a group of ancient friends together and the four of us sort

of clatter around, and when we're in London, we do it once a week and it makes all the difference. "I thought it was going to be very funny and I was going to laugh at everybody

toppling over next door to me, but I think we concentrate so hard we don't even know what our friend next door is doing. "When I stand there I think to myself, 'Drop your

shoulders, breathe deeply, don't hunch'. READ MORE: PRINCE CHARLES COMES BACK FIGHTING TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR NHS STAFF "I shall keep it in my own home very privately." It

is not known if Camilla has been taking part in online classes during the lockdown. RAD is offering free Silver Swans sessions every Wednesday at 1pm on its website and social media

channels. Camilla told Dame Darcey, who is patron of RAD, and Silver Swans ambassador Ms Rippon that the sessions with her friends had been "really good fun". She added: "It

gives you a certain amount of confidence in yourself. "It's just a bit of discipline there, which I think we all need in our lives. "You might groan a bit afterwards, and huff

and grunt and everything else, but you do feel so much better." Camila visited RAD’s headquarters in London in February 2018 and said at the time: "I want to be a Silver

Swan."