'Sacrifice’ Queen Camilla made for sake of her marriage to King Charles
Camilla accepted the 'duties' that came with being a royal due to her love for Charles
Queen Camilla’s marriage to King Charles has been anything but conventional.
From her early relationship with King Charles, through his marriage to Princess Diana, and eventually stepping into the spotlight as his wife, Camilla has had to navigate intense scrutiny.
However, for the now 77-year-old queen, her primary motivation has never been titles or status, but rather her devotion to Charles.
Queen Camilla accepted ‘duties’ and ‘responsibilities’ for King Charles marriage
“It wasn’t the role or title – whether as Duchess [of Cornwall] or queen – that appealed to her. It was being with the man she loved,” an aide close to Camilla explained to Newsweek.
While many of her peers are enjoying retirement, Camilla has fully committed herself to the responsibilities of a royal.
“That meant accepting the duties that would come with him, even at a time of life when most of her contemporaries were deadheading roses in the garden or having lovely cruises in the Med,” the aide continued.
“She was very willing to undertake the role and responsibilities. But it was never part of the goal of what she wanted from life. And of course, it’s come with a lot of hard toil and quite a lot of sacrifice as well because everything she does is now in the public eye.”
One of the biggest sacrifices Queen Camilla has made for her marriage is taking on royal duties.
Instead of fading into the background, she has embraced an important role in supporting social causes, particularly issues surrounding domestic violence and sexual abuse survivors.
A palace insider shared how deeply Camilla was affected by the recent case of Gisèle Pelicot. Gisèle is a French woman who bravely came forward after years of horrific abuse by her husband.
Moved by Pelicot’s strength and resilience, Camilla personally wrote a letter offering her support.
This commitment to raising awareness and advocating for victims is a hallmark of Camilla’s royal role.
Queen Camilla shares support for domestic abuse victims
Camilla recently visited Brave Spaces. The charity supports victims of domestic abuse. During her visit, the queen met survivors and listened to their stories.
One woman, who had endured a decade of abuse, spoke to Camilla about how the organisation had helped her rebuild her life. Overcome with emotion, she began to cry while posing for a group photo.
Camilla immediately stepped in, gently placing her hand on Sarah’s back and bringing her to the front.
She was very willing to undertake the role and responsibilities. But it was never part of the goal of what she wanted from life.
“Big smile,” she encouraged, as the cameras flashed.
Afnan Tellesy, 37, another survivor, praised the queen’s kindness. According to Newsnight, Afnan called Camilla a “great advocate for women” and said it was a “privilege to be invited to meet her”.
Despite ongoing health challenges, Camilla continues to push forward.
At the beginning of 2025, she battled chronic fatigue – a lingering effect of a previous pneumonia diagnosis. However, she quickly returned to her public role.
The source added that Queen Camilla is a “stranger to self-pity” and is “very good” and not letting stiff criticism get to her.
For a woman who once preferred life out of the public eye, Queen Camilla has transformed herself into a vital force within the royal family.
Royal Insider has contacted reps for Buckingham Palace for comment.
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