Paris ( CNN ) -- It was a confident decision and it paid off . The Duchess of Cornwall could have chosen other cities for her first solo overseas tour , but she chose Paris , a city closely -- and tragically -- associated with Diana , the first wife of Prince Charles . But Camilla came here despite that , not because of it . This is more about Camilla 's long-term rehabilitation from being `` the other woman '' to queen-in-waiting and the strategy is working . Diana may have been a fashion icon who famously championed Dior handbags , but Camilla did n't shy away from accepting an invitation to Dior in Paris in her own right . A Clarence House spokeswoman told me the duchess was , `` delighted to accept as she was keen to highlight the wonderful skill and craftsmanship involved in this renowned french fashion house . '' And I saw her clearly fascinated by the intricacy of the work being done in the couture workshop on the top floor . Camilla , unlike Diana , is n't defined particularly by fashion . She 's more about country living and was in her element watching an equine display by the Republican Guard in Paris . She went behind the scenes to meet the horses and speak to the farrier making their shoes . She 's a hands-on duchess , unafraid of getting her hands dirty . She 's as comfortable with a farrier as she is with presidents and prime ministers . She is something of a social chameleon , able to move between easily different groups with ease , including the press pack . In a typical Camilla moment , she arrived Paris with a smile and greeted the media with a big hello , then went on to admit nerves . Camilla 's common touch came out during an unannounced visit to a street market . A butcher asked her to try a sample . She of course obliged and he was struck about how nice she was : `` Very agreeable , bearing in mind her status , '' he told me . At another stall , she bought five dresses for a grand-daughters from a trader who described the duchess as polite and said she `` loved everything . She was very respectful . '' A royal source in the past described to me how the duchess is a `` professional grandmother . '' There 's more to the Duchess of Cornwall than you see : invariably she manages to win people round when she comes face to face with them , despite the Diana back-story we all know so well . We will be getting more insight into her character as she takes on more official duties . The queen is cutting back on her travel and Prince Charles with Camilla are increasingly being asked to represent the monarchy , which will one day be theirs . We 're being given in a sense Camilla , queen-in-waiting , not just Prince Charles 's wife .
The Duchess of Cornwall began her first solo overseas tour in Paris on May 28 . The French capital is closely associated with Diana , the first wife of Prince Charles . Hide Caption 1 of 37 Photos:Princess Diana's funeral