Tom Parker Bowles unveils truth of Queen Camilla's 'smoking and drinking habits'

Tom Parker Bowles has addressed contentious public rumours that his mother is a heavy drinker and smoker. In the lead-up to his new book, Cooking and the Crown, he insisted that this image is completely 'inaccurate' and perhaps even stems from The Windsors comedy show.

"Never drunk a glass of gin in her life," he told in September. "Doesn’t smoke... Never seen her so much as tipsy." The the 49-year-old's thoughts came just a matter of weeks before the Queen withdrew from official engagements due to a chest infection.

While no specific details of her illness or treatment have been released, it is understood that she will remain under doctors' supervision. According to, a spokesperson said yesterday: "Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest.

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"With great regret, Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her engagements for this week but she very much hopes to be recovered in time to attend this weekend's Remembrance events as normal. She apologises to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result."

While it's reported that did once smoke cigarettes, a personal trainer recently told that she now generally leads a very healthy lifestyle. Both King Charles and his wife particularly enjoy 'eating hearty meals using fresh produce' which is often produced on the estate.

Tom's new cookery book also shows that Her Majesty has a keen eye for nutritious recipes, having once whipped up the same breakfast every Day in huge quantities. The recipe, nicknamed 'buttered eggs' by the Princess Margaret, only requires four main ingredients and you can make it in just 10 to 20 minutes.

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In another recent report, Helen Bell, a nutritionist at the , explained that eggs are packed with protein and may even help you lose weight. She said: "In my experience, consuming eggs as a snack can actually be quite beneficial for weight loss. Eggs are high in protein, which helps to increase satiety and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

"This can reduce the overall calorie intake throughout the day. But, it's important to watch portion sizes and prepare them in a healthy way, like boiling or poaching, to avoid adding unnecessary fats."