Tom Parker Bowles, the oldest child of Queen Camilla, has hit out at the reputation that his mother has gained – and cleared up one common misconception about her

Queen Camilla’s son has hit out at the reputation that’s plagued his mother – clearing up one common misconception.

Tom Parker Bowles is Camilla’s oldest child from her first marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles, her husband before she married King Charles. He’s now a prominent food writer and critic and has recently released a new book on the royals and their relationship with food featuring several royal recipes.

And during an interview to promote his latest project, Tom, a stepson and godson of King Charles, was asked if he knew about his mother’s reputation for being a smoker and a lover of drinking gin.

Speaking to The Times, he revealed he had indeed heard the rumours – but hit out at them and said she has “Never drunk a glass of gin in her life. Doesn’t smoke.” When asked if that rumour was down to her portrayal in the Channel 4 comedy show The Windsors, he added: “I think so.”

Tom’s comments come as he also labelled his mum a no nonsense ‘grafter’ who gets on with the job. He said becoming Queen has not changed his mother and when most people are retiring, the 77-year-old is “going full tilt”.