King Charles and Queen Camilla’s complicated love story 26 years on from their first public appearance as a couple
They celebrate 20 years of marriage this year26 years ago today, King Charles and Queen Camilla made their first public appearance as a couple.
Their love story hasn’t always been plain sailing and has been mired by controversy at times.
From their first meeting to their marriage and now their reign as king and queen, here is an inside look at their complicated love story.
When King Charles and Queen Camilla first met
Charles and Camilla’s love story dates back 55 years. Their first meeting came during a polo match in 1970.
The polo match was at the Great Park in Windsor – and it was here that Camilla and Charles realised they had a lot in common.
Camilla even joked in their first meeting: “My great-grandmother was the mistress of your great-great-grandfather. I feel we have something in common.”
They began dating, however, Charles soon joined the Royal Navy and was away for eight months. When he returned, Camilla was engaged to another man.
Prince Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana
In 1973, Camilla tied the knot with Andrew Parker Bowles, who had previously dated Princess Anne.
Together Camilla and Andrew had two children – Tom and Laura. However, Charles has remained friends with Camilla and even became Tom’s godfather.
In the late ’70s, Charles and Camilla allegedly began an affair.
However, in 1980, Charles began dating Princess Diana, and in 1981 he proposed.
In a newspaper interview, Charles gushed: “I feel positively delighted and frankly amazed that Di is prepared take me on.”
On July 29, 1981, with an estimated 750 million people reportedly watching around the world, Diana and Charles tied the knot at St Paul’s Cathedral.
They went on to have two sons – Prince William and Prince Harry.
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s affair
According to a biography, Charles’ second affair with Camilla began in 1986. In 1989, Diana confronted Camilla about the affair at a party.
Speaking later, Diana revealed in recordings she made for author Andrew Morton’s book Diana: Her True Story: “I know what’s going on between you and Charles and I just want you to know that. She said to me: ‘You’ve got everything you ever wanted. You’ve got all the men in the world fall in love with you and you’ve got two beautiful children, what more do you want?’ So I said, ‘I want my husband.’ And I said, ‘I’m sorry I’m in the way… and it must be hell for both of you. But I do know what’s going on. Don’t treat me like an idiot.'”
In 1992, Diana and Charles split up after 11 years of marriage.
Camilla’s divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles
In 1994, Charles was the subject of a documentary that he hoped would repair his image following the affair controversy.
In one part of the documentary, Charles spoke about his relationship with Camilla.
“She has been a friend for a very long time—and will continue to be a friend for a very long time,” he said.
A year later, Camilla and Andrew Parker Bowles split after over 20 years of marriage. Later that year, Diana hit out at Camilla in her infamous Panorama interview.
She has been a friend for a very long time—and will continue to be a friend for a very long time.
When asked if Camilla had been a factor in the breakdown of her marriage, she said: “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”
In 1996 Diana and Charles officially divorced, and in 1997 Charles hosted a 50th birthday party for Camilla.
However, a few months later, Diana tragically died in a car accident in Paris.
Due to the outpouring of grief for Diana, Charles decided to pause his campaign to introduce the public to his relationship to Camilla.
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s first public outing as a couple
On January 28, 1999, Charles attended a birthday party for Camilla’s sister Annabel Elliot at the Ritz Hotel in London.
Charles and Camilla arrived at the party separately, however, they left together. There were so many photographers waiting for them outside that the British Epilepsy Association urged broadcasters not to air the footage on TV in case it triggered seizures.
This became the couple’s first public outing together and signalled that their relationship was official.
Later that year, Camilla holidayed with Charles, William, and Harry in Greece.
When did Charles and Camilla get married?
In 2003, Charles and Camilla moved into Clarence House, and in 2005 they announced their engagement.
On April 9, 2005, Charles and Camilla married in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall. Prince William was best man.
The queen didn’t attend the wedding, however, she was at the reception afterwards.
To ensure that Diana remained the Princess of Wales, Camilla was handed the title Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall.
Queen Elizabeth II’s final wish for Camilla
In 2022, during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the late queen announced her desire for Camilla to be known as Queen Consort when she finally ascended to the throne.
The announcement came after years of speculation over what Camilla’s title would be when Charles became king.
In September 2022, the queen died at the age of 96. Charles and Camilla acceded to the throne, thus becoming King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla.
In 2023, a month before the coronation, the royal family confirmed that Camilla would go by the title Queen Camilla.
Camilla has been by Charles’ side ever since – at the coronation in 2023, and during his cancer battle over the past year.
This year will see Charles and Camilla celebrate their 20th year of marriage – with many more happy years together to come.
Read more: King Charles wipes away tears as he becomes first British monarch to visit Auschwitz
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