The 9th of April is a significant day for the royal family, and it is fascinating to note that the day may have both joyful and sorrowful connotations. On this day in 2005, King Charles III and Camilla, who is now the Queen Consort, were married, and every year since then, they have celebrated their anniversary. But, on the same day in 2021, Prince Charles’ father, the late Prince Philip, also died away. This was a sorrowful event.
This indicates that two years ago, not only did Charles lose his father, but the day of his father’s passing also, very unhappily, occurred to coincide with the anniversary of his wedding. Without a doubt, the experience must be one of mixed sourness and sweetishness for the reigning king.
Charles and Camilla did not publicly acknowledge their anniversary at the time, but more than one month later, they released a new photo of themselves and gave many thanks to the public for their anniversary well wishes. Philip died in 2021, and Charles and Camilla did not publicly acknowledge their anniversary at the time.
There is no way to hide the fact that the path to romance for the royal couple was not an easy one. It was speculated that they had an affair when Charles was still married to Princess Diana, however there is no proof of this. It was stated that the purported affair haunted Diana throughout the last few years of her life. Diana passed away in 1997. Even farther back, in 1995, she gave an interview in which she discussed the romance with a younger version of Prince William.
After the untimely passing of Diana in a car accident in 1996, Charles and Camilla gradually disclosed their connection over the course of a number of years. This was in the aftermath of the terrible loss of Diana. It took some time for the public as well as members of the royal family to get comfortable with Charles’ new relationship, but in the end, the pair was married, and ever since then, Camilla has played an important role in the royal family.
Let’s take a look at the history of their relationship in celebration of the couple’s 18th wedding anniversary, as well as the new title that Camilla is expected to assume in the near future.
There are a few different accounts of how the pair first connected, but most people assume it took place sometime in the early 1970s. According to a story by the BBC, Prince Charles first encountered Camilla Shand in the year 1970 during a polo event held at Windsor Great Park. Nonetheless, according to a story from the People:
“When she first met the Prince in 1972, Camilla Shand, who was then a 25-year-old London-based post-graduate student, informed him with a sly smile, “My great-grandmother was the mistress of your great-great-grandfather.” This was during their first encounter at a party. I get the impression that we have certain things in common.”
Regardless of whether of the two accounts is more accurate, there was definitely some kind of spark. The romance that Charles had begun with Camilla was hindered as a consequence of his return to service in 1971 when he joined the Royal Navy. This led to their relationship becoming less serious. The article that was published in People states that “even though the enamored prince courted her for six months, he failed to propose before sailing to sea in February 1973.” It was said that Charles had made the decision long ago that he would not get married before he was 30.
Camilla went on to marry Andrew Parker Bowles, with whom she had two children, while Charles went on to marry Princess Diana, with whom he had Prince William and Prince Harry. This information is common knowledge.
Later, in 1986, Charles and Camilla reportedly reignited their sexual passion after purportedly having an on-and-off connection during the preceding years, as reported by People. This occurred despite the fact that both of them were married and responsible for raising kids.
In the middle of the 1990s, Charles and Camilla’s respective marriages came to an end in the form of a divorce, which paved the way for their future together. The pair started dating in 1998, which was two years after Diana’s sad death. But, Charles didn’t want to overburden his family with the abrupt addition of a new spouse since Prince Harry and Prince William were still minors when their mother went away. The couple married in 2001. Because of this, Charles came to the conclusion that it would be prudent for him to wait until all of his children had reached adulthood before marrying Camilla.
Despite having been seen together in public for the whole of their courtship that lasted for a total of six years previous to being married, the pair tied the knot in a private ceremony on April 9, 2005. Since that time, they have maintained a steady connection, as shown by the fact that they have been on royal excursions together and participated in a large number of public engagements. The general public’s attitude of Camilla has also been more favorable over the course of the years, and their relationship is seen in a far more favorable light now than it was at the turn of the century.
Yet, one item that has garnered significant attention throughout the years is Camilla’s actual royal title. When Prince Charles and Camilla announced their engagement in February 2005, the palace issued a statement in which they addressed queries about Camilla’s standing and title as the future queen. The message was made public. In the announcement that was issued on February 10, 2005, the couple’s marriage was officially proclaimed, and it was also indicated right away that Camilla would be using the title “HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.”
According to Harper’s Bazaar, Camilla did have the chance to take on the title of “Princess of Wales,” but she chose not to do so in light of the fact that the cherished and late Diana was given the title instead.
“It is intended that Mrs. Parker Bowles should use the title HRH The Princess Consort when The Prince of Wales accedes to the Throne,” the royal statement said at the time, clarifying that since Charles was next in line to the throne after Queen Elizabeth II, “It is intended that Mrs. Parker Bowles should use the title when The Prince of Wales accedes to the Throne.” This went against custom, since the king’s wife would often be referred to as the “queen consort” under certain circumstances.
During the course of his life, it was definitely a subject that Charles had never stopped thinking about. According to a story published by Daily Mail in June 2021, Prince Charles reportedly attempted to persuade his sons to grant Camilla the title of “queen consort,” but both Harry and William were adamantly opposed to the idea.
In the end, it was Charles’ mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, who gave him the acceptance he had been yearning for all along. She was the one who awarded him the title of Prince of Wales. An essential message from Queen Elizabeth was sent on the Royal Family’s Twitter account in February 2022, just six short months before she passed away. The letter focused mostly on the sender’s appreciation for the queen’s family as well as her role as the reigning monarch for the last 70 years. Moreover, the queen penned the following in the message:
“And when, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me. And it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.” “And when, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me.”
It was verified that Camilla had legally taken on the title of “Queen Consort,” precisely as Charles and Elizabeth wished, when King Charles III ascended to the throne following the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. It was also revealed that Charles III had married Camilla. On the other hand, it seems as if Charles and Meghan may have given Camilla a new title once again.
On April 5, 2023, a fresh image of the pair together was published in advance of their coronation, which will take place in May of 2023. When Charles wore a blue suit and tie, Camilla wore a brilliant blue frock that matched her husband’s outfit perfectly. The formal invitation to the coronation was unveiled on the same day, and it contained designs inspired by British mythology as well as flowers that are representative of the United Kingdom. It said there:
“The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla” “Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla”
According to the BBC’s explanation, Camilla will acquire a new title as a result of the coronation. According to a royal source who spoke to the publication, the title “Queen Consort” was used to differentiate Camilla from Queen Elizabeth in the days immediately following the monarch’s passing; however, the publication reported that the coronation marked a “appropriate time” to officially change her title to “Queen Camilla.”