Queen Camilla had to work hard for many years to earn the public’s love, especially after the tough times she went through after Princess Diana’s sad passing. But now, she is a well-liked and respected part of the British royal family.
When people found out about Prince Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, she became really unpopular in Britain. There was a time when she was so worried about how people felt that she didn’t want to go outside.
Charles and Camilla met through a friend named Lucia Santa Cruz, who was the daughter of the Chilean ambassador, during a polo match. They began dating in 1972, but their romance was short-lived because Charles had to go serve in the Royal Navy. When he came back home after finishing his service, Camilla was already engaged to her former husband, Andrew Parker Bowles.
They always remained close, even after Charles married Diana. He and Camilla kept in contact throughout the years.
Royal author Penny Junior claimed that Charles was aware he wasn’t in love with his future wife Diana, but it was already too late for him to call off the wedding.
Charles wasn’t sure if marrying Diana was the right choice for him. He felt trapped and hoped that things would change for the better after they got married. So, he tried to stay positive about the situation, as she mentioned in the Mirror.
What’s most, Camilla and Diana knew each other and got along, but then things changed.
“I met [Camilla] very early on. I was introduced to the circle, but I was a threat, I was a very young girl, but I was a threat,” Diana explained in the book Diana: In Her Own Words.
The romance between Charles and Camilla began in 1986, as mentioned in Prince Charles’ official biography, which Town & Country reported. Back then, Charles was still married to Princess Diana, and she eventually found out that her husband was being unfaithful.
Diana even confronted Camilla once, but nothing changed.
The phone call showed that the couple had a very personal and romantic conversation, which later got called Tampongate.
Even though the media treated them poorly, Camilla and Charles’s relationship stayed strong. They got married on April 9, 2005, in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall.
At the wedding reception, Queen Elizabeth raised her glass to celebrate the newly married couple. But she had something else she wanted to do, so she quickly went into another room to watch a horse race.
“I have two important announcements to make. The first is that Hedgehunter has won the Grand National,” the queen said.
They have successfully crossed Becher’s Brook and The Chair, along with many other tough challenges. They made it through, and I feel really proud and wish them the best. My son is safe and sound with the woman he loves, Queen Elizabeth II said while comparing it to her horses.
Growing up, Camilla’s parents owned houses in both East Essex and South Kensington and were considered to be part of the elite of that area. Consequently, Camilla and her siblings, Annabel and Mark, had plenty of things, including ponies.
Camilla talked about her childhood, which she thinks was really great. She said, “I was super lucky because I had a wonderful childhood in the countryside. I spent time on the South Downs with my brother, sister, our pets, and our ponies. It was a pretty simple and happy time.”
In the summer, we would often ride our ponies to school. It’s probably more of an Australian thing than an English one, but we would ride there, tie them up, and then ride back home. It really shows how much things have changed because back then, the roads were empty. Can you picture a kid riding to school today with a backpack? It just wouldn’t happen!
Camilla’s parents used to shop at the fancy and well-known department store Harrods, according to Town & Country. She picked up the skill of making small talk from her mom, who was from a noble family.
Camilla shared with Women’s Day, “My mom was really great at getting us to talk to others. She would invite all kinds of people over for dinner, no matter their age. Some guests seemed super boring to us, but she would sit at the end of the table and say, ‘Just talk! I don’t care if it’s about your pony or your schoolwork, just say something!’ She was also very direct and always spoke her mind.”
Despite mastering this “art,” Camilla has always had problems with giving speeches.
Camilla went to a fancy Swiss school called Mon Fertile, where she learned a lot from classy housewives. After finishing in Switzerland, she studied at the Institut Britannique in Paris, and then she came back to London.
Camilla had a regular job when she was married to her first husband. The Mirror reports that she worked as a secretary for different companies in London’s West End and later became a receptionist at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler in Mayfair. She went to Dubrells School in Sussex and Queen’s Gate School in South Kensington before completing her education at Institut Britannique in Paris, where she focused on English and French Literature.
In the book On The Fringe—A Life In Decorating, designer Imogen Taylor, who worked with the interior design company Colefax and Fowler, where the queen also worked, shared a story about a time when a young Camilla showed up late for work after a night of partying.
Taylor claimed Camilla was then yelled at and fired.
In 2016, she told the Sunday Times: “There were lots of debutantes working for us, even Camilla. She worked for us for a moment but got the sack.”
He would yell and scream so loudly that everyone in the building could hear him. One time, the Duchess of Cornwall was one of the people who got caught in one of his outbursts. I think she arrived late because she had been at a dance, Taylor remembered how their boss could be.
This, however, didn’t affect Camilla’s financial situation as she has been wealthy already.
Today, Camilla is one of the most beloved figures of the Firm.
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