YESTERDAY MARKS & SPENCER RECEIVED THE ROYAL SEAL OF APPROVAL WHEN THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL REVEALED THAT SHE BUYS ALL HER SWIMWEAR THERE. CAMILLA AND PRINCE CHARLES WERE VISITING THE STORE IN LONDON'S WESTFIELD SHOPPING CENTRE TO MARK THE COMPANY'S 125th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS. THE DAY STARTED OFF IN THE FOOD HALL WHERE CAMILLA, WHO DIDN'T NEED TO BE ASKED TWICE TO TRY A £7.99 BOTTLE OF M'HUDI SOUTH AFRICAN RED. CHARLES, WHO HAD BEEN CHATTING INTENTLY WITH THE FIRM'S FOOD DIRECTOR, TURNED AROUND, ROLLED HIS EYES AND SAID: 'OH, YOU'VE GOT A GLASS ALREADY. I KNEW YOU WOULDN'T TAKE LONG', HE TURNED TO THE STAFF AND JOKED, 'YOU'VE GOT TO WATCH THAT ONE, YOU KNOW.' CAMILLA, WHO WAS WEARING A PURPLE PATTERNED SKIRT AND BLOUSE SET FROM THE RETAILER'S PER UNA RANGE WHICH SHE PICKED UP LAST YEAR FOR £99, LAUGHED AND HELPED HERSELF TO CORNISH CRUNCHER CHEESE AS WELL, BEFORE POINTING OUT A PARTICULARLY NICE PIECE OF 59p CHUNK SHORTBREAD, WHICH WAS DULLY BAGGED UP AND POPPED IN A POSH DOGGY BAG. IT WAS UPSTAIRS, HOWEVER, THAT THE DUCHESS MOVED INTO HER STRIDE. LUCKILY, THE PRINCE WAS TAKEN BY COMPANY CHAIRMAN SIR STUART ROSE TO THE RELATIVE CALM OF THE MENSWEAR DEPARTMENT WHILE CAMILLA DECLARED: "OOH, GOOD, I CAN DO MY SHOPPING NOW." WHEN IT CAME TO THE HIGH STREET FAVORITE, THE DUCHESS REALLY KNEW HER STUFF AND ADMITTED THAT SHE BUYS A LOT OF HER PERSONAL CLOTHING IN THE FIRM'S FLAGSHIP MARBLE ARCH STORE. "I ALWAYS BUY MY SWIMWEAR IN M&S . IT'S REALLY GOOD QUALITY AND IT FITS WELL. I WISH I WASN'T WORKING OR I'D HAVE A REALLY GOOD ROOT AROUND." AFTER THEIR INDIVIDUAL GUIDED TOURS THE COUPLE MET UP TO JOIN A STAFF PARTY WHERE THEY WERE GIVEN GIFTS: A ZANDRA RHODES SCARF FOR HER AND A SPECIALLY-BOUND BOOK ABOUT M&S'S HISTORY FOR HIM. CAMILLA WAS LEFT IN FITS WHEN SIR STUART TOLD HIS AUDIENCE HOW PROUD HE WAS TO HAVE SUCH A PAIR OF 'BOGOFS' PRESENT. THE JOKE SAILED OVER CHARLES' HEAD BUT HIS WIFE PATIENTLY EXPLAINED THAT IT MEANT 'BUY ONE GET ONE FREE', PROMPTING THE PRINCE TO SMILE INDULGENTLY. IN TURN CHARLES TOLD HIS AUDIENCE HOW HIS GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, QUEEN MARY, BECAME THE FIRST MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY TO SHOP IN M&S, PROMPTING THE STORE MANAGER TO GO ROUND THE NEXT DAY PUTTING STICKERS ON EACH ITEM READING, 'AS BOUGHT BY HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'. HE ALSO PRAISED THE STORE FOR BEING ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S 'MOST RESPECTED RETAILERS' AND TRAILBLAZING MARKETING AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY. M&S WAS STARTED IN 1884 BY POLISH REFUGEE MICHAEL MARKS AS A PENNY BAZAAR IN LEEDS MARKET AND WHEN ON TO BECOME ONE OF THE BIGGEST NAMES ON HIGH STREET.
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