After reports surfaced that Queen Camilla took action against Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton, she generated tremendous controversy and popular outrage.
The situation sparked strong emotions, with many social media users voicing their displeasure, saying Camilla’s actions were unwarranted and disrespectful.
Queen Camilla entered Prince William’s life while she was in a long-term relationship with his father, King Charles III, during his marriage to Princess Diana.
Following Diana’s ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ and years of public scrutiny, Camilla and Charles married in 2005, bringing her closer to William and Prince Harry.
Camilla and Charles were instantly attracted when they met in the summer of 1970, despite the fact that she was 16 months older than him.
Penny Junor, who co-authored “The Duchess: Camilla Parker Bowles and the Love Affair That Rocked the Crown,” stipulated: “Charles loved that Camilla smiled with her eyes as well as her mouth, and laughed at the same silly things he did.”
They dated for a while and enjoyed a wonderful, tranquil, and mutually satisfying relationship. However, they encountered hurdles that eventually drove them apart.
According to Penny, Charles’ great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten, opposed his connection with Camilla, believing she was neither a virgin nor sufficiently aristocratic. Camilla was also much in love with Andrew Parker Bowles, an army man.
Camilla eventually married Andrew on July 4, 1973, despite Charles’ attempts to prevent the wedding. They had two children, Tom and Laura, and Camilla relished her role as a rural wife and mother.
Despite her marriage, she and Charles stayed close and began an affair in the late 1970s. When Andrew Morton’s book “Diana, Her True Story” was published in 1992, it revealed intimate details of Charles and Camilla’s affair, causing a significant scandal in their relationship.
Camilla was ʜᴀʀᴀssᴇᴅ by the press, received hate mail, and drawn compared to Princess Diana. The infamous “tampongate” event in 1993, in which private communications between Charles and Camilla were exposed, exacerbated their embarrassment.
Camilla opted to stay because Charles loved and relied on her. She reportedly told a pal, “It’s wonderful to be loved.” Charles and Camilla married at Windsor Guildhall on April 9, 2005, eight years after Diana ᴅɪᴇᴅ.
In his memoir “Spare,” Harry said that following their mother’s untimely ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ in 1997, he and William begged their father not to marry Camilla.
Queen Elizabeth II elected not to attend the wedding, unlike the brothers. She felt it was wrong given her position as head of the Church of England, especially because both Charles and Camilla were divorced.
Penny believes Camilla improved Charles throughout their marriage.”He is happier with her than he has ever been. She gives him confidence and the support he has so desperately needed throughout his life and never truly found elsewhere,” wrote Penny.
While Camilla and Charles had finally found love again, William and Prince Harry had a different experience.
According to Christopher Andersen, a royal scholar and author of “The King: The Life of Charles III,” the brothers have long nursed anger toward Camilla.
He said: “They pleaded with their father not to marry her and only grudgingly agreed to go along with the charade if Charles kept his promise not to make her queen.”
The brothers were well aware that if Camilla had not broken their parents’ marriage, Diana would have been the queen. When Charles broke his pledge, William and Harry felt severely betrayed.
William was not particularly fond of his stepmother, owing to seeing his parents’ unpleasant, public split due to Camilla.
Christopher said: “Camilla was so terrified at the prospect of meeting William that when she finally met him at Clarence House, she was trembling like a leaf and needed a vodka and tonic afterward.”
Camilla’s worry was understandable, considering that she was aware of how her participation affected Charles and Diana’s marriage.
Aside from William and Harry’s stance with Camilla, public opinion was against her for many years. This took its toll on her, as she admitted, “It’s not easy. I was scrutinized for such a long time that you just have to find a way to live with it.”
Camilla underlined, however, that she eventually climbed above public scrutiny and went on. She stated that it was critical to continue living life despite the constant public scrutiny.
Camilla worked hard to prove her worth and gain the public’s affection. Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine and author of “My Mother and I,” said it was stressful to be pushed into the royal world.
Nevertheless, she was determined to flourish. Ingrid praised “What Camilla did… she worked really hard at looking after Charles. Once she was married to Charles, she really took on the burden of royal duties, which isn’t easy for someone [who] hasn’t been brought up to it.”
According to Ingrid, Camilla’s daily existence as a royal was like attending an extravagant event every day. This would require her to dress up, meet a large number of people, and engage in conversations, many of which she would never see again.
The schedule could be especially exhausting for her, given that she previously lived a much easier life as an army housewife. Previously, she was used to informal hobbies like gardening, painting in her shed, and cooking without having to continuously dress up.
She fulfilled her obligations while attempting to establish a relationship with her new family. However, Prince William’s relationship with Camilla was not as stable as his relationship with his father.
However, since succeeding to the throne, Charles has relied on his heir for assistance. Previously, claims say Charles was closer to his younger son, Harry, than William.
Nonetheless, father and eldest son appear to have reconciled, thanks in part to the Princess of Wales’ efforts. According to a new royal book, William did not always show respect for his father during his early years as Prince of Wales.
In his book “Catherine, The Princess of Wales: The Biography,” author Robert Jobson recounts that Camilla would frequently gently remind William of his place in respect to his father.
Robert reported an incident in which William and Kate wanted to join Charles and Camilla’s security escort departing Windsor Castle. However, they kept the senior royals waiting.
Camilla reportedly insisted on departing without them. As a result, William and Kate could only see the flashing lights of the departing motorcycles when they emerged.
When fans learned about this occurrence, they expressed a variety of thoughts regarding Camilla and her relationship with William. A supporter said: “Camilla deserves all the disrespect Britain can dish out to her.”
As events evolved within the royal family, William is reported to have formed a greater bond with Camilla. This intimacy stems from him acknowledging and appreciating her steadfast dedication to her obligations.
Additionally, according to royal analyst Hilary Fordwich, they have bonded via their wives’ cancer treatment.
On February 5, 2024, the royal family revealed that Charles had recently had a hospital operation for benign prostate hypertrophy. Another health worry was identified during this time, as diagnostic tests revealed a type of malignancy.
His Majesty resumed a regular treatment routine and has expressed optimism about his recovery, anxious to resume his full public duties.
Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reassured the public that the cancer was detected early. As the public wished him a speedy recovery, Harry flew from the US to see his father and William.
A month later, on March 22, 2024, Kate revealed her cancer diagnosis in a touching video posted to social media. The diagnosis occurred after she underwent what was initially seen as a successful major abdominal surgery in London earlier this year.
This operation was initially described as a therapy for a non-cancerous disease. However, post-operative examinations revealed malignancy, prompting the Princess to begin prophylactic chemotherapy treatment right away.
As much as William and Camilla bonded amid their spouse’s health battle, the couple’s romance appears to be on the mend.
Following his appointment as Duke of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales dismissed Annabel Elliot, Camilla’s sister and interior designer, off the Duchy’s payroll in July 2024.
Annabel, 75, has earned hundreds of thousands of pounds for her services over the last two decades. She was first employed by King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, in 2005, following his marriage to Camilla, her sister.
Annabel worked on the Duchy’s holiday cottages and historic properties in Cornwall, Wales, and the Isles of Scilly. Sources affirm that William’s choice to terminate her employment had no bearing on the quality of her work.
Helena Chard, a British broadcaster and photographer, noticed that William and his father did not always agree. She mentioned that they frequently clash owing to differences opinions and leadership styles.
William is described as more analytical and deliberate, having a tendency to take a harder stance on topics than his father, who is portrayed as more passionate and heart-driven.
Helena further stated that Camilla, as Charles’ supporter, ensures William is aware of any potential disrespect towards his father when necessary. Despite their previous disagreements, William and Camilla currently have a relatively good relationship, with mutual respect for each other’s strengths.
Helena stressed that, despite conflicts over some procedures, the royal family understands the necessity of mutual support.
Hilary also mentioned that William has consistently been polite to Camilla, and their relationship has remained civil.
He remarked that Camilla has been wise enough not to try to instruct William, which has contributed to their pleasant encounters.
Despite her public image, Hilary pointed out that Camilla has never been a very parental figure. She remained aloof with her children and refused to intervene in Charles’ relationship with his children, despite allegedly informing him of their flaws.
