At the time the public learned of then-prince Charles’ affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, she became the most hated person in Britain. At one point, she was even afraid to go out in public.
However, as time passed by, the people of Britain learned to love Camilla, and today, she’s a very important part of the family. What’s most, she’s loved by many.
Charles and Camilla were introduced to each other by a mutual friend, Lucia Santa Cruz, the daughter of the Chilean ambassador, at a polo match. They started dating in 1972, but the relationship didn’t last long as Charles left to serve in the Royal Navy. When his duties there came to an end and he returned home, Camilla was already engaged to her now-ex husband Andrew Parker Bowles.
However, they never stopped being close. Even when Charles married Diana, he and Camilla stayed in touch.
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 was not convinced he was doing the right thing in marrying Diana but there was no way out and, bolstered by the hope that things would be different once they were married, he put a brave face on it,” she wrote, as reported by 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 thrеаt, I was a very young girl, but I was a thrеаt,” Diana explained in the book Diana: In Her Own Words.
The love affair between Charles and Camilla started in 1986, according to Prince Charles’ authorized biography, as quoted by Town & Country. At the time, Charles was still married to Princess Diana and she eventually became aware that her husband was cheating on her.
Diana even confronted Camilla once, but nothing changed.
Speaking of the troubles in her marriage and the reasons for its failure, Diana told Martin Bashir during a televised interview, “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”
Charles and Diana separated in 1992 and their divorce was finalized four years later.
Just months after Charles and Diana formally separated, the press published a full transcript of a telephone call between the then-future King and Camilla.
The phone call revealed an intimate and sexual exchange between the couple, which became known as Tampongate.
Despite the mistreatment from the press, the bond between Camilla and Charles prevailed. On April 9, 2005, the couple exchanged vows in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall.
Later, at the wedding reception, the late Queen Elizabeth offered a toast to the newlyweds. However, she had other plans in mind, as she briefly stepped into another room to catch 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 overcome Becher’s Brook and The Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles. They have come through, and I’m very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves,” Queen Elizabeth II continued as she made a comparison with her horses.
When she was married to her first husband, Camilla had a regular job. According to the Mirror, she worked as a secretary at several firms in London’s West End area and later as a receptionist at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler in Mayfair. She studied at Dubrells School in Sussex and Queen’s Gate School in South Kensington before finishing school at Institut Britannique in Paris, where she studied English and French Literature.
In the book On The Fringe—A Life In Decorating, designer Imogen Taylor, who was a colleague at the interior design firm Colefax and Fowler, where the queen used to work, remembered a time when a young Camilla arrived late to 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 shout and bellow so the whole building heard every word. The Duchess of Cornwall was one assistant who fell victim to one of tantrums. I think she came in late, having been to a dance,” Taylor recalled their boss’s temperament.
Today, Camilla is a vital part of the Firm.
Speaking of the current role Queen Camilla has taken upon herself, royal expert Angela Levin said Camilla is “holding the royal family up.”
“I mean, to wait till you’re 73 is a long time before you can take the crown. I think obviously, at his age, it’s very difficult, but he’s very determined, and he’s only really just started to be king,” Levin said while appearing on GB News. “Supporting him very much, absolutely by his side, is Queen Camilla, who is going to all the engagements that they would have gone to together on her own.”
“And so that way he will feel it’s still moving, it’s still running, and they can discuss it and talk about it. And I think that’s marvelous. I mean, she is holding the Royal Family up and being strong. If you imagine 30 years ago, people were saying the whole Royal Family would absolutely disintegrate, and she would be of no use.”
Although it is known that Camilla doesn’t want to be under the spotlight, she’s doing an excellent job while meeting with the public.
“To support her husband. She understands him very well because they’ve been together for over 50 years, before they even got married. it’s a long time and they make each other laugh,” Levin added.
Royal expert and former royal correspondent Charles Rae praised the queen for supporting King Charles and Kate Middleton in this troublesome time, calling her a “remarkable asset,” adding that Camilla is “one of the best things to happen to the Royal Family” in a “good number of years.”
“There’s no question about it, she stepped into the breach. She’s got everything on her shoulders with what’s going on, and she’s taking on even more work,” royal expert Charles Rae said.
“Everywhere she goes, she has got a cheery smile on and a happy face. She says the right things. She has proved to be a remarkable asset to the Royal Family, given the allegations that at one time she had bread rolls thrown at her in a supermarket car park.”
Rae concluded, “I remember her when she was the most hated woman in Britain. I’ve met her several times and she’s charming, she’s witty, she’s really nice to chat to, and certainly when she’s chatting to people, she has done her homework as to who she’s chatting to.”
Daily Mail’s royal correspondent, Rebecca English, told Town & Country Magazine there was a “very different situation” when Camilla joined the royal family and the present.
“They decided the way to do it wasn’t to ‘sell her’. They concluded that the best way to move things forward was to just let her be herself and let people see for themselves what she is actually really likе.”
We believe Camilla is doing an amazing job for the royal family during these tough times when both King Charles and Kate Middleton are battling cancer.
At 60, I Found Love Again 9 Years After Losing My Husband – At the Wedding, My Late Husband’s Brother Yelled, ‘I Object!’
When Ellie decided to remarry at 60, nine years after losing her husband Richard, she thought her family and friends would celebrate her happiness. But as the priest asked if anyone objected, her late husband’s brother stood and shouted, “I object!” What followed was something she didn’t see coming.
For nine years, I grieved Richard’s loss and slowly rebuilt my life piece by piece. When I met Thomas, a kind widower who understood my pain, I thought I had finally found a second chance at happiness.
But not everyone was ready to let me move on.
A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney
They say life begins at 60, and for me, it felt true.
After years of grief, I was ready to embrace love again, and when I met Thomas, my heart told me it was time to take a chance.
But before I tell you about our story, let me share a bit about my life.
Richard and I were married for 35 years, and we built a beautiful life together.
A young couple sitting together | Source: Pexels
We had three wonderful children, Sophia, Liam, and Ben. Richard was the type of guy who’d do anything to keep his family happy, and that’s exactly what he did.
He was a loving husband and an incredible father. He worked tirelessly to ensure our kids were well-fed and was always there to support us.
We had our ups and downs like every couple, but his steady presence always made me feel secure no matter what life threw at us.
A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
But all stories have to come to an end, right? Our story reached its final chapter when Richard was diagnosed with stage four cancer.
The doctors didn’t give us much hope, and despite trying every treatment available, the illness consumed him quickly.
I’ll never forget how he encouraged me to handle everything bravely. I was sitting by his bedside when he held my hand and looked straight into my eyes.
“Take care of the kids,” he said in a trembling voice. “Be strong for them. And don’t let this stop you from living.”
A couple holding hands | Source: Pexels
He passed away shortly after, and my world crumbled into pieces.
The first six months after his death were the hardest. I couldn’t go to the grocery store without breaking down because it reminded me of the times we shopped together.
Every corner of our home held memories of him, and the silence at night was unbearable.
One day, I was at Sophia’s place when my grandson looked at me with his big, tearful eyes.
“Grandma, I don’t want to lose you like I lost Grandpa,” he said.
A young boy | Source: Pexels
What he said was just a combination of 11 words, but the impact it had on me was enormous. It made me realize that I couldn’t let sorrow consume me. I couldn’t spend the rest of my life feeling sad because my family still needed me.
That night, I made a promise to myself. I told myself I’d keep living and that was not just for me. It was for my family.
From that day on, I slowly started to rebuild.
A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney
I sought help from a therapist, started attending dance classes, and even experimented with bright, colorful clothes. I styled my hair differently and embraced the parts of me I had once neglected.
“After all, this is what Richard wanted me to do,” I told myself. “He wanted to see me dress up and smile. He wanted his wife to be happy even if he wasn’t there.”
By the seventh year after Richard’s passing, I found myself smiling more often and feeling lighter. I wasn’t the same woman I had been during the first few dark months.
I was vibrant and confident, ready to embrace life again.
An older woman in a yellow dress | Source: Midjourney
A year ago, I decided to take a trip I had always dreamed of. I wanted to go see the beautiful waterfalls and nature parks, and Sophia encouraged me to go ahead.
“You deserve to live all of your dreams, Mom,” she told me.
That trip was where I met Thomas.
I’ll never forget the first time we spoke. It was a crisp morning at a small park near one of the waterfalls.
A waterfall | Source: Pexels
I was sipping coffee, gazing at the water cascading down the rocks, when Thomas approached me with a warm smile.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he said, gesturing toward the falls.
We began talking, and before I knew it, hours had passed.
He told me about his late wife, how they had shared a life full of love but how her passing had left a void he didn’t think anyone could fill. I told him about Richard, and how, for years, I couldn’t imagine even smiling again.
A woman standing near a waterfall | Source: Midjourney
It felt like the world had paused for us at that moment.
We shared our grief and our hopes. Both Thomas and I dreamt of companionship, laughter, and love that didn’t need to replace what we’d lost but could stand alongside it.
Over the next few months, Thomas and I grew closer.
I found him to be very patient, kind, and thoughtful. He lived a few hours away from my house, but he never asked me to drive all the way there.
A man standing outside his house | Source: Midjourney
Instead, he visited me whenever he could and the best part about him was that he never rushed things. He understood my hesitations, my guilt, and the little pangs of doubt that occasionally surfaced.
But with every conversation, every walk in the park, and every shared meal, I felt my heart opening again.
A year later, Thomas proposed during a picnic at that same waterfall. I was stunned but overjoyed.
An older woman smiling | Source: Midjourney
“Are you sure?” I asked him as tears blurred my vision. “You’re ready for this?”
He laughed softly and held my hands.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” he said. “We deserve this, Ellie. We deserve happiness.”
As our wedding day approached, I felt like I was twenty again. I wore a beautiful dress that Thomas had selected himself.
The church was filled with golden afternoon light, and my heart was full as I walked down the aisle toward Thomas.
A bride’s dress in a church aisle | Source: Pexels
My children sat in the front row, smiling as they saw me in the white dress. At that point, I felt whole.
But as I stood at the altar, hand in hand with Thomas, the moment was interrupted.
Just as the priest asked, “If anyone objects to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace,” a voice broke the silence.
“I OBJECT.”
I turned to see who it was, and that’s when my gaze landed on David, Richard’s elder brother. His face had this fierce look of disapproval.
A man standing in a church | Source: Midjourney
“I object!” he repeated, stepping forward with a pointed glare.
Murmurs rippled through the room as David walked toward the altar. Meanwhile, my heart pounded against my chest because I had no idea what was happening.
Why would David object to my wedding? What was going on?
He didn’t leave much room for guessing.
An older woman standing in a church | Source: Midjourney
“Look at you, Ellie!” he shouted, his voice filled with disdain. “Dressed in white, standing here as if Richard never existed. While Richard—my brother—lies in the cold ground, you’re here celebrating like none of it ever mattered. How dare you?”
His words made me so embarrassed that I could feel the heat in my cheeks. I also felt the sting of tears in my eyes, but I didn’t let them fall.
Instead, I took a deep breath, preparing myself to answer his question.
“Do you think I’ve forgotten, David?” I asked, looking straight into his eyes. “Do you think a single day has passed where I haven’t thought about Richard?”
A woman talking to her late husband’s brother | Source: Midjourney
I looked at Thomas, who gave me a calm nod, signaling me to go ahead. Then, I turned back to David.
“Richard wasn’t just my husband. He was my best friend, the father of my children, and the love of my life. But he’s gone, and I am still here. Am I not allowed to live?”
David scoffed, but before he could reply, my daughter Sophia stood up.
“Enough, Uncle David!” she said. “Before you accuse Mom of sinning because she wanted to live her life, I want you to see something. Not just you… I want you all to see this.”
A woman at her mother’s wedding | Source: Midjourney
Then, she walked to the front of the church with a small projector in her hands. That’s when I understood what she was doing. She was about to show a video of Richard.
It was supposed to be a surprise for the reception, something my children and I had planned to honor Richard’s memory. But now, it was time.
The room grew silent as the projector flickered to life. Moments later, Richard’s voice filled the air, warm and steady, just as I remembered.
An upset woman standing in a church | Source: Midjourney
“Ellie, if you’re watching this, it means I’m no longer here,” his voice said. “But I need you to promise me one thing. Don’t let grief hold you back. Love again, laugh again, and dance in that silly way you do. If someone else brings you happiness, hold onto them with all your strength.”
Richard had made this video for me during his last days. He’d made more videos for our kids too, and they wanted to play all of them at the reception. They believed playing the videos would make us all feel Richard was there with us, supporting us.
But my dearest Sophia decided to play this one to stand up for me.
A woman looking at her mother | Source: Midjourney
The guests were quiet, and I could even see some of my friends crying. But David? He wasn’t done yet.
He turned to Thomas with a stern expression on his face.
“And you,” David spat. “You think I don’t see through you? Marrying a woman in her 60s so you can rob her children of their inheritance? What kind of man are you?”
An angry older man standing in a church | Source: Midjourney
Thomas stood tall, his voice calm but commanding. “David, I don’t need Ellie’s money. We’ve signed a marriage agreement. In the event of her death, I inherit nothing. I’m here because I love her, not because of what she has.”
David opened his mouth to speak again, but Thomas raised his voice.
“Enough!” he said. “Just mind your own business and let other people be happy. There’s nothing more left to say.”
An older man standing in a church | Source: Midjourney
David wanted to argue, but he was escorted out of the church with the help of my sons.
The ceremony continued after he left, and as Thomas and I exchanged vows, the warmth and love in the room were undeniable.
And that is how I remarried at 60 and started a new chapter of my life.
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