Camilla becomes a plumber! Duchess of Cornwall is made an honorary member of a 650-year-old livery company

  • The Duchess of Cornwall, 69, was installed as an Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers in a ceremony in London on Thursday 
  • The royal donned the company’s black and gold edged gown at Skinners' Hall 
  • Is said to be 'delighted' by the honour and joked about her plumbing abilities 

By Rebecca English Royal Correspondent

Published: 10:56 EST, 26 January 2017 | Updated: 11:00 EST, 26 January 2017

Should the pipes ever burst at Clarence House, Prince Charles will know who to ask.

For today his wife was installed as an Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers, no less.

The Duchess of Cornwall, 69, was invited to join by the Master of the historic organisation, Brian Wadsworth, whom she knows well and, said an aide, was 'delighted' by the honour.

Camilla signs the Book of Admissions at Skinners' Hall after the ceremony on Thursday that saw her installed as an Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers

Upon her admission as an Honorary Liveryman, Camilla donned the black and gold edged gown, before signing the Book of Admissions and accepting a a vellum certificate

They were not so confident about her abilities as a pipe fixer, however.

The Worshipful Company of Plumbers is one of the oldest City of London Livery Companies.

It received its first Grant of Ordinances over 650 years ago, in 1365 (during the reign of King Edward III) and was granted its Charter by King James I in 1611.

Throughout its history the company has retained strong links to the plumbing industry, although the nature of the plumber’s craft has changed considerably over the centuries.

Camilla accepted a specially commissioned silver-gilt ladle to mark the occasion. The ladle was a tool used by plumbers in former times when casting objects from molten lead

'I am delighted to accept and promise you I won't be using it any time soon, ' the Duchess laughed as she accepted her ladle which had been specially engraved for the occasion

The Duchess of Cornwall sits next to the Beadle as she is installed as an Honorary Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Plumbers at the ceremony in central London

In the Middle Ages plumbers were skilled craftsmen fabricating roof coverings, gutters, cisterns and other items from sheet and cast lead.

The Company continues to promotes the profession as well as training, and apprenticeships, in addition to charity work.

In a short ceremony, Camilla was led into a heavily embellished room at the Skinners' Hall, by the uniformed Beadle, Peter Thompson, whose predecessors used to police the industry.

Camilla shakes hands of her fellow Liverymen. Skinners’ Hall on Dowgate Hill is one of the oldest surviving Livery Halls in the City of London, dating from shortly after the Great Fire

The Duchess wore the black and gold robes over her green tweed suit following the ceremony on Thursday afternoon

In good company: Camilla was invited to join by the Master of the historic organisation, Brian Wadsworth, whom she knows well and, said an aide, was 'delighted' by the honour

The Duchess signs the Book of Admissions to make her new title official. The Worshipful Company of Plumbers is one of the oldest City of London Livery Companies

Upon her admission as an Honorary Liveryman, she donned the Company’s black and gold edged gown, before signing the Book of Admissions and accepting a a vellum certificate.

She also accepted a specially commissioned and engraved silver-gilt ladle to mark the occasion. The ladle was a tool used by plumbers in former times when casting objects from molten lead.

'I am delighted to accept and promise you I won't be using it any time soon, ' the royal laughed.

Skinners’ Hall on Dowgate Hill is one of the oldest surviving Livery Halls in the City of London, dating from shortly after the Great Fire.

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