![King Charles III and Queen Camilla are shown a first and second folio of works by William Shakespeare by Gregory Doran, Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Baroness Vadera, Chair of the Royal Shakespeare Company during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare01.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
On Tuesday, luminaries from the British acting world descended on Windsor Castle for a special royal celebration of Shakespeare’s First Folio.
![King Charles III and Queen Camilla greet Gregory Doran, Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Baroness Vadera, Chair of the Royal Shakespeare Company during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare04.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla greeted two special guests at the start of the reception, which marked the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio. Gregory Doran and Baroness Vadera, the Director and Chair (respectively) of the Royal Shakespeare Company, were on hand to celebrate the literary milestone.
![King Charles III and Queen Camilla are shown a first and second folio of works by William Shakespeare by Gregory Doran, Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Baroness Vadera, Chair of the Royal Shakespeare Company during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare05.jpg?resize=1200%2C985&ssl=1)
Doran and Vadera spent time with the King and Queen viewing copies of the First and Second Folios, which were published in 1623 and 1632.
![The First and Second Folios are displayed during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare03.jpg?resize=1200%2C716&ssl=1)
The First Folio, published seven years after Shakespeare’s death, includes 36 of his plays. The folio features the first known publication of plays like The Tempest, Macbeth, and Twelfth Night. Both of the displayed copies of the First and Second Folios come from Windsor Castle’s library. King George IV purchased the copy of the First Folio and added it to the library’s collection. The Second Folio was owned by King Charles I, who made marginal notes in the copy during the English Civil War.
![Gregory Doran, Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company speaks during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare02.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
The reception was held in St. George’s Hall, but the celebration also included special performances of Shakespeare’s work in the castle’s famed Waterloo Chamber.
![Lucy Phelps, Ray Fearon, Dame Harriet Walter, and Sir Simon Russell Beale perform during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare06.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Actors like Dame Harriet Walter and Sir Simon Russell Beale were on hand to take part in the performance.
![King Charles III speaks with Dame Vanessa Redgrave during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare07.jpg?resize=1200%2C1767&ssl=1)
There were also lots of other famous faces at the reception. Here, the King chats with Dame Vanessa Redgrave, who first gained fame playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company. But her relationship with Shakespeare goes back much further than that. On January 30, 1937, her father, Sir Michael Redgrave, was playing Laertes in Hamlet at the Old Vic. His co-star, Sir Laurence Olivier, announced to the audience that “a great actress” had been born during the performance: Sir Michael’s daughter, Vanessa.
![King Charles III speaks with Dame Judi Dench during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare10.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
And here, Charles chats with his friend Dame Judi Dench, whom we recently saw in the carriage procession at Royal Ascot. Dame Judi made her stage debut as Ophelia in Hamlet at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool, and has played numerous Shakespearean roles since. She also won an Oscar for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love.
![The Duchess of Edinburgh greets David Oyelowo during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare08.jpg?resize=1200%2C826&ssl=1)
The Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were also present for the reception. Here, Sophie chats with David Oyelowo, who began his career with the Royal Shakespeare Company, famously playing King Henry VI in an acclaimed season of the history plays. Also pictured are Robert Lindsay, who notably played a series of Shakespearean roles for the BBC in the 1980s, and Joely Richardson, daughter of Vanessa Redgrave and the late director Tony Richardson.
![The Duchess of Gloucester speaks with Connor Allen and Helena Bonham Carter during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare09.jpg?resize=1200%2C797&ssl=1)
And here, the Duchess of Gloucester chats with the Welsh actor Connor Allen, whose Shakespearean roles include a memorable turn as Romeo, and Helena Bonham Carter, who was Olivia in Trevor Nunn’s Twelfth Night and Ophelia in Franco Zeffirelli’s Hamlet.
![Queen Camilla is shown a first and second folio of works by William Shakespeare during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare11.jpg?resize=1200%2C2070&ssl=1)
For the reception, both the clothing and jewels were low-key. Queen Camilla wore a blue dress with ruffle detailing and a subtle dot pattern, but her jewelry was largely hidden. What do you think: does this dress need a brooch, and if so, which one?
![Queen Camilla speaks with Dame Vanessa Redgrave during a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare12.jpg?resize=1200%2C1773&ssl=1)
She did wear her usual stack of bracelets on her right wrist.
![The Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Gloucester attend a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare13.jpg?resize=1200%2C1778&ssl=1)
The Duchesses of Edinburgh and Gloucester were dressed in summery silhouettes and fabrics for the occasion.
![The Duchess of Edinburgh attends a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare14.jpg?resize=1200%2C1885&ssl=1)
With her patterned dress, Sophie wore her antique pearl drop earrings—which have appeared frequently of late—and several bracelets.
![The Duchess of Gloucester attends a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate the work of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio on July 18, 2023 (Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-0720-01-shakespeare15.jpg?resize=1200%2C1730&ssl=1)
Birgitte wore an aviation-themed silk jacket with pearls and diamond and sapphire earrings.
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