It's a love story that's far from conventional, but against all the odds, Kings Charles and the Queen Consort, Camilla eventually ended up marrying, 35 years after they first met.
Despite marrying a young Lady Diana Spencer, King Charles never could get over his first love, Camilla. Speaking about their relationship on The News Agents Podcast, Queen Camilla's son, Tom Parker Bowles said "I don't care what anyone says — this wasn't any sort of end game. She married the person she loved and this is what happened." Tom's comments came following Prince Harry's book, Spare, where when speaking about Camilla around the time when his father married her, he said 'I have complex feelings about gaining a step-parent who I thought had recently sacrificed me on her personal PR altar.'
To get you up to speed on their rather complicated history, we've put together a timeline of their relationship from start to finish.
1970 - Camilla and King Charles first meet
The pair first met in 1970 at a Polo Match at Windsor Great Park. They bonded over their shared love of Polo and sense of humour. They began seeing one another, but soon, King Charles is off to serve in the Royal Navy. Eight months later, he returns to find Camilla is engaged to someone else.
1973 - Camilla marries Andrew Parker Bowles
July of 1973, Camilla married Andrew, an Army cavalry officer. He had previously dated King Charles younger sister, Princess Anne! Camilla and Andrew go on to have two children together - Tom and Laura Parker Bowles. Despite getting married, Camilla and King Charles remained very close friends, and King Charles was even made godfather to Tom.
1980 - King Charles begins dating Diana
At age 31, King Charles began dating a young, 18-year-old Diana Spencer. King Charles had previously courted Diana's older sister, Sarah Spencer and she often takes credit for the two of them meeting.
1981 - King Charles proposes to Diana and they marry
On February 6th, he proposed to Diana, reportedly in Camilla's garden of all places! In a famous interview shortly after the engagement, King Charles surprised people when asked if him and Diana are in love. "Whatever love means." He replied.
July 29, King Charles and Diana marry at St Paul's Cathedral in one of the most famous and iconic wedding ceremonies of all time. An estimated 750 million people watched around the world, and according to reports, Camilla was in attendance at the ceremony.
In 1982, they welcome Prince William and in 1984, Prince Harry is born.
1986 - King Charles begins his affair with Camilla
This is documented in King Charles' autobiography.
1989 - Diana confronts Camilla
It was revealed in a tape recording that Diana confronted Camilla at a party saying, “I know what's going on between you and Charles and I just want you to know that. She said to me: 'You've got everything you ever wanted. You've got all the men in the world fall in love with you and you've got two beautiful children, what more do you want?' So I said, 'I want my husband.' And I said, 'I'm sorry I'm in the way...and it must be hell for both of you. But I do know what's going on. Don't treat me like an idiot."'
1992 - Diana's story is released
In June of this year, Diana: Her True Story is released. The famous book was full of stories that shocked the world, exposing King Charles and Camilla's affair and the impact this had on Diana. It was then announced that King Charles and Diana had officially separated and Diana began her charity work.
1994 - King Charles tries to improve his public image
In a bid to regain the respect of the public, he commissions a documentary film maker to follow him around for a year and a half. The documentary had somewhat of an opposite effect when Jonathan Dimbleby, asks King Charles if he was “faithful and honorable” during his marriage to Diana. King Charles says, “Yes, yes…Until it became irretrievably broken down, us both having tried." He also mentions Camilla calling her “a great friend of mine,". He adds, "She has been a friend for a very long time—and will continue to be a friend for a very long time."
1995 - Camilla and Andrew Parker Bowles divorce
The pair announce their divorce the January of 1995. That same year, Diana does her famous Martin Bashir television interview where she famously says, "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."
1996 - King Charles and Diana's divorce is finalised
1997 - Princess Diana shockingly passes away
Diana tragically dies in a car accident in Paris. As the world goes into mourning in the lead up to her funeral, King Charles puts a pause on making his relationship with Camilla public.
1998 - Camilla is introduced to Prince William
King Charles begins mentioning Camilla in public and shares that she and William have met. The Queen however doesn't approve of their previously-adulterous relations and refuses to attend King Charles' 50th birthday party as Camilla will be in attendance.
1999 - Their first public appearance together
They are both spotted leaving Camilla's sister's 50th birthday together and reporters and photographers spot their first public appearance together. Soon after, the pair went on holiday to Greece with William and Harry.
2003 - They move in together
King Charles and Camilla move in together at Clarence House. The Royal Family make it clear that British Tax Payer money won't be used to redecorate Camilla's room to avoid any lash-back.
2005 - King Charles and Camilla announce their engagement
After announcing their engagement in the February, the pair married April 8 with William as King Charles' best man. The Queen does not attend the wedding, but grants Camilla the title of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall, meaning Diana remains as the only Princess of Wales.
2022 - Camilla to be Queen Consort
Within her Platinum Jubilee message, the Queen declares that it's her "sincere wish" that Camilla will be known as Queen Consort when Charles ascends to the throne.
2022 - Charles becomes King
As first in line to the throne, Charles automatically became King Charles III following the sad death of his mother Queen Elizabeth aged 96 on 8 September 2022. Camilla became Queen Consort, as requested in the Queen's statement on the eve of the 70th anniversary of her accession.
2023 - King Charles III Coronation
The Coronation of King Charles took place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6th March, where he was crowned alongside his wife, Queen Camilla. In attendance were Prince William and Harry, as well as the lord mayor, members of the House of Lords and the high commissioners in London of member nations of the Commonwealth.
2024 - King Charles' cancer diagnosis
In February 2024, Buckingham Palace released a statement, announcing to the public that King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer, following a recent stay at hospital for an enlarged prostate. The statement read
"His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.
"The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.
"His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer."
Lorna White is a Senior Digital Writer at Yours.co.uk and MotherandBaby.com. She was previously a writer at Yours Magazine writing features and news stories before joining the digital team. Lorna loves the great British countryside and likes to spend her spare time out and about in her home of Nottinghamshire walking her dog, Pippin.