Former Staffers Have Bold Message About Camilla For Princess Diana's Fans
As one-time heir to the throne, King Charles was once the most eligible bachelor in the country. In 1981 he married Princess Diana, and the U.K. was smitten with the princess. Then came Camilla Parker Bowles. Charles had long been in love with Camilla, but as any fan of "The Crown" will tell you, Queen Elizabeth II forbade the match, as Camilla was deemed unsuitable for Charles. Despite his marriage to Diana, Charles and Camilla continued their relationship on the sly. Diana would later refer to Camilla as "the third person" in her marriage in a now-famous interview with the BBC.
All this is to say that Camilla has never been beloved by her subjects. She's forever in Diana's shadow and the perpetual odd man out of the royal family. It didn't help, either, that Elizabeth was just as disapproving of Camilla after she married Charles in 2005. Elizabeth notably refused to attend Charles and Camilla's civil ceremony, though she did reportedly join the newlyweds at an afternoon reception later that day, per The New York Times. It's been more than 30 years since Camilla was first blamed for coming between Diana and Charles — and her reputation has never fully recovered.
With the recent death of Queen Elizabeth, Camilla's place in the public and within the family has never been more important. In other words, the pressure is on for the one-time "most hated woman in Britain," per NBC News. Luckily for the new queen consort, former palace aids and employees are coming out of the woodwork to show their support for Camilla.
Camilla and Charles deserve a break
King Charles and Queen Camilla face a new set of challenges in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death. While they have always had to contend with criticism of their personal lives, this is the first time they've had to balance that criticism and serve the throne. The public has long disparaged the couple for their extramarital affair. Now that Charles and Camilla have ascended the throne, though, they need the public's support more than ever. Those who have worked with the royals think it's time the public moved on.
"It's tricky when people judge and point fingers," Charles' former butler Grant Harold told Insider. "But [the marriage] was the right decision for all of them, and we have to close the door on it," he concluded. Camilla's facialist Deborah Mitchell, an admitted lover of Princess Di, told the outlet that Camilla won her over with her sweet demeanor and friendly conversation.
The overall feeling is that Camilla has been a good influence on Charles, and it's time the public got behind her. "He's been married for 17 years now, and Camilla seems to be that stability in his life," a former royal chef told Insider. Penny Junor, a royal biographer, echoed a similar sentiment in her 2017 book, "The Duchess" (via The New York Times). "The person who has given Charles the courage and the encouragement to do half the things he has done in the last few decades is Camilla."
Camilla had title change
No one ever expected Camilla Parker Bowles to be queen consort. Back in 1981, when King Charles married Princess Diana, it was expected that she would one day rule at his side. Flash forward to 1996, and Charles and Diana split up. Charles and Camilla began to officially date and married years later. However, it wasn't until this February that Queen Elizabeth II gave her blessing for Camilla to be referred to as queen consort upon Charles' ascension to the throne.
Given how icy their relationship once was, it was astounding that Queen Elizabeth would ever consent to Camilla being called "queen." According to insiders, Elizabeth spent years refusing to interact with Camilla after she and Charles tied the knot, per Express. They eventually buried the hatchet, and Camilla even won the queen's grudging support.
"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," Elizabeth said in a statement just before her Platinum Jubilee in June, per The Guardian. "It is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service." Per the outlet, Camilla was originally intended to be called "Princess Consort" when Charles became king. The New York Times notes that while her official title is "Queen Consort," she is to be known as "Queen Camilla" in everyday life.