It's likely to cause a buzz among nature lovers, Royal fans... and gin drinkers everywhere.

The Duchess of Cornwall is leading the campaign to save the great British bee – by installing nine hives at her countryside retreat.

Camilla has placed the hives in the gardens of Ray Mill, the Grade II-listed house in Wiltshire she bought in 1995 and kept after her marriage to Prince Charles.

The Duchess of Cornwall walks past an artwork beehive as she attends the Bees for Development biennial Bee Garden Party at Marlborough House, London

And in a distinctly characteristic touch, Camilla is taking the honey her bees make and adding it to gin to give it a tasty sweet flavour, according to friends.

The project has been inspired by her concern over the collapse of bee numbers around the globe.

A recent study suggests a third of Britain’s 260 bee species are at risk of extinction from climate change, habitat loss, pesticides and disease.

The Duchess Of Cornwall Attends The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and views RHS Award Winning Gardens

Across Europe, nine per cent face outright extinction.

Some of the honey is being sold at shops including Fortnum & Mason, which is believed to be the Queen’s favourite store.

The proceeds from the sale of Duchess of Cornwall Honey, which retails for £20 a jar, go to three charities that support causes close to Camilla’s heart: Medical Detection Dogs, The Silver Line, a telephone helpline that offers support to older people, and a children’s hospice in Oxfordshire, Helen & Douglas House.

A royal insider told The Mail on Sunday that the Duchess is ‘serious’ about saving bees.

The insider said: ‘The Duchess is a keen beekeeper and she now has nine hives in her garden.

Prince Charles, the Duke of Cornwall's bee hives. Designed and made by Anthony Paine. The hives live at Highgrove

‘She is so passionate about the cause.

‘She really does appreciate how important bees are for the natural world and is keen to do anything she can to help them thrive.

‘As well as Charles, she is very aware of causes such as these – both are very committed to improving conservation matters. Bees are under threat and are essential for a healthy environment. Camilla genuinely cares.’

Duchess of Cornwall Honey, £20 for 227g, Fortnum & Mason

Last week, the Duchess, 71, attended the Bees For Development garden party at Marlborough House in Central London to raise funds to help people across the Commonwealth out of poverty through beekeeping. The insider said: ‘The Duchess makes fabulous honey from the hives and sells it for charity. She is very serious about it.’

For his 70th birthday last year, Prince Charles was given three handmade, palace-themed hives by Fortnum & Mason, which he keeps at Highgrove.

Hives have become increasingly popular with celebrities in recent years, including Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson, who received some from Samuel L Jackson as a wedding gift when she married Ryan Reynolds in 2008.

Actor Morgan Freeman also keeps bees, as do the Obamas, who became increasingly aware of the devastation facing bees during their time in the White House.