What made the Duchess of Cornwall break out in a fit of giggles in Canada?

The pictures our ITV News camera filmed last week in Canada of the Duchess of Cornwall in a fit of giggles have found their way onto several news websites today.

They spotted the images we first broadcast last Thursday.

Prince Charles and Camilla had just touched down in a town on the edge of the Arctic Circle in the Canadian territory of Nunavut.

And within moments of their arrival in Iqaluit they were sitting on a stage watching a performance of Inuit throat singing.

I was one of the few British journalists on that part of the tour.

It’s hard to describe the sound that Inuit throat singers make during such performances but I would opt for ‘unusual’ as a fairly accurate choice of word.

It caught me by surprise – and as you can see from our ITV cameraman’s footage on that afternoon, it caught the Duchess by surprise too.

She was trying without success not to laugh as she was on stage.

She kept looking at her husband who managed to keep a fixed smile on his face throughout.

But the Duchess of Cornwall was not able to control her giggles.

The tradition of throat singing in duets dates back to a time when the men were away on hunting trips and it was a form of entertainment for women.

It’s actually a vocal game in which you face your opponent and attempt to make them laugh – and therefore to lose.

What’s clear from Camilla’s uncontrollable fit of giggling is that she would have lost very badly had she been the opponent!

The Duchess’ infectious laughter appeared to rub-off on others around her.

Prince Charles and Camilla are known for having the same sense of humour.

Royal staff on the tour in Canada told me how they often make each other laugh – and they have had a fit of giggles on some public events before.

No one from the Inuit community – which makes up 85% of the population of Nunavut – appeared to have been offended by the Duchess.

I considered it a very human moment and proves that even the Royals can sometimes be caught off-guard just when they least want to.