Queen Camilla joined several British acting dames to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare.(L-R) Mary Millar, Patricia and Judy Cornwall on location filming Keeping Up Appearances in1992

Queen Camilla joined a host of major British acting talent to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare. The royal was joined by a who’s who of dames including Dame Judi Dench, Dame Vanessa Redgrave and Dame Joanna Lumley to remember the iconic British at the Celebration Of Shakespeare event at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

The star-studded event, held on Wednesday, was one of many celebrations marking 400 years since the Bard’s first folio. And while the famous faces were easy to spot, one veteran actress was almost unrecognisable.

Most famous for her role as working-class snob Hyacinth Bucket – which as she regularly insisted, is pronounced ‘Bouquet’, Dame Patricia Routledge, joined in the festivities and is at 96, the oldest of the dames who attended.

The veteran actress, who landed her foremost role in 1990, was all smiles in a blue suit as in a wheelchair at the end of the front row.

The actress was seated next to Dame Penelope Keith, 83, the star of sitcoms like The Good Life and To The Manor Born.

While Dame Patricia has not been on screens in recent times and has kept a low profile over the years, it was no surprise she turned up for the event as she’s remained a tireless supporter of the arts.

Host Gyles Brandreth speaks with Queen Camilla as the dames, including Patricia Routledge, look on

She also doesn’t grow tired of speaking about her most famous roles. When previously asked if there were any similarities between herself and her beloved character Hyacinth said: “Apart from two arms, two legs, two eyes, a nose and a mouth, I sincerely hope not! It’s what acting’s all about.

“Just because I may play a murderer doesn’t mean I have to commit a murder – you just play a part.”

During the Shakespeare celebration, which was hosted by Gyles Brandreth hosted, Dame Judi read a one of the playwright’s sonnets.

Also in attendance were the likes of actors Freddie Fox, Alex Jennings, Jeremy Irons, Succession star Brian Cox, who is also a prodigious Shakespeare actor, Tom Courtenay, Peter Egan, Robert Lindsay, Martin Jarvis, Simon Russell Beale, Robert Powell and Samuel West.

The legendary dames gathered in their dozens to celebrate Shakespeare with Queen Camilla

The dames above, back row, left-right:

Dame Joanna Lumley, 77, Dame Floella Benjamin, 74, Dame Twiggy Lawson, 74, Dame Harriet Walter, 73, Dame Penelope Wilton, 77, Dame Maureen Lipman, 77,

Front row, left-right:

Dame Virginia McKenna, 92, Dame Sian Phillips, 90, Dame Judi Dench, 89, Dame Vanessa Redgrave, 87, Dame Penelope Keith, 83, Dame Patricia Routledge, 96