Couple goals (Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images)
It’s been almost a year since King Charles III and Queen Camilla were crowned.
Today, the pair celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary.
The royal couple seem stronger than ever, with Camilla stepping up to take on some of Charles’s state duties as he undergoes treatment for an unspecified form of cancer.
Their love story hasn’t always been smooth, but Charles has found a solid partner in Camilla.
Let’s take a look back at their relationship…
When did King Charles and Queen Camilla first meet?
Camilla and Charles met in London at a polo match in the early 1970s, and went on to date for a short time after that.
The pair split when Charles left to serve in the Royal Navy for eight months – when he returned, Camilla was engaged.
Camilla married Army officer Andrew Parker Bowles in a lavish ceremony in front of 800 guests in July 1973.
Charles and Camilla dated for a short while after meeting in the early 1970s (Picture: Shutterstock)
The couple had two children together, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, and went on to divorce in 1995.
Meanwhile, Charles married Diana Spencer in 1981. However, they separated in 1992 before divorcing officially in 1996.
The time after their split was quite public and ugly, especially when a transcript of a private, flirtatious conversation between Charles and Camilla from 1989 was leaked in 1993.
Asked about Camilla in an infamous 1995 interview, Diana said: ‘There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.’
When did they marry?
King Charles and Camilla got married on April 9 2005.
The wedding was originally planned for 8 April, but had to be postponed because of the funeral of Pope John Paul II, scheduled for the same day. Charles flew to Rome to represent Queen Elizabeth.
With only 28 guests, the couple wed in an intimate civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall, outside royal grounds.
Prince William, Prince Harry and Camilla’s children were all present.
However, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip did not attend. As the head of the Church of England, the Queen decided it would be inappropriate to attend the wedding of two people who had divorced their previous partners.
Instead, she later hosted a reception for the newlyweds at St George’s Chapel, part of Windsor Castle.
The pair wed in 2005, though Camilla did not take Princess Diana’s title (Picture: Getty)
Camilla was not given Diana’s title of Princess of Wales, out of respect for the late princess.
However, after the Queen’s passing and the changing of the Royal Family line of succession, the title was passed on to Kate Middleton.
Prince William also replaced his father as the new Prince of Wales.
Camilla’s former title changed from Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall to Queen Consort.
Queen Consort is a title given to the spouse of a ruling monarch.
Consorts of UK monarchs don’t have any ruling power and their main duty is providing support to the monarch and taking on an important role during public engagements.
Camilla’s official title is Queen Consort (Picture: Getty Images)
Though Camilla was previously going to be given the title of ‘princess consort’, the Queen announced in February 2022 that she would be known as ‘queen consort’ instead when Charles took the throne.
However, since the coronation, ‘Consort’ has been unofficially dropped from the title, and she is commonly referred to as Queen Camilla.
How has King Charles’s cancer diagnosis impacted their relationship?
Camilla visited Charles every day in hospital when he was receiving treatment for an enlarged prostate in January.
She’s also stepped up her royal visits following Charles’ cancer diagnosis in February.
While Charles will still carry out his behind-the-scenes state duties, he will take a step back from public engagements while he receives treatment.
Camilla visited Charles every day in hospital (Picture: AP)
Camilla has stepped in for the king on 13 occasions but took a break from duties at the start of March for a much-needed holiday.
She said that Charles is ‘doing extremely well under the circumstances’ following his cancer diagnosis.
Camilla added that Charles was ‘very touched by all of the letters and messages the public have been sending from everywhere’.
Speaking to Metro, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said of Charles: ‘He is very, very fortunate he has his soulmate the Queen, because the two are so close and also work so well together as we know.
‘That’s absolutely pivotal at a time like this.’
Charles and Camilla: From the beginning until now
The couple met at a polo match in the summer of 1970 when Charles was 22 and Camilla was 24.
Charles reportedly said it was love at first sight for him.
They dated for a while but broke up when Charles had to go to sea.
The couple were 22 and 24 when they met (Picture: Shutterstock)
It is difficult to know for sure, but many have speculated that the Royal Family did not deem Camilla a suitable wife for Charles.
This is because she was not technically from an aristocratic family and she had been in previous relationships before.
After a few years of an on-and-off-again relationship with Charles, Camilla decided to marry Army Cavalry officer Andrew Parker Bowles.
The pair had two children, Laura and Tom.
Charles said ‘I do’ to Diana in front of 750 million people watching on television.
The couple also had two children – Prince William and Prince Harry.
Too in love to stay away from each other, the couple are thought to have resumed their love affair in 1986.
In a later interview with Jonathan Dimbleby, Charles admitted to being unfaithful to Diana but said it was only after his marriage had ‘irretrievably broken down, us both having tried’.
Diana said she knew about the affair (Picture: Getty)
The Sunday Mirror and People published transcripts of a private, sexual phone conversation between Charles and Camilla. The call reportedly took place in 1989, when both parties were still married.
The couple joked about Charles ‘coming back as a pair of knickers’ so he could ‘feel his way along’ Camilla.
Camilla and her husband were divorced within two years of her affair being revealed.
Charles and Diana were officially divorced on 28 August 1996.
Diana’s death rocked the country in 1997 and there was not much seen or heard of Charles and Camilla in the two years that followed.
The couple were pictured together in public for the first time in 1999, leaving Camilla’s sister’s birthday party at the Ritz Hotel in London.
The couple were finally able to be together officially when they married at Windsor Guildhall in 2005.
Harry and William both went to the wedding.
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Just months before Queen Elizabeth II died, she announced her “sincere wish” for Camilla to become Queen Consort when Charles succeeds her.
She said: ‘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.’
King Charles III and Queen Camilla were crowned on May 6, 2023.
This article is regularly kept updated with the latest royal news.
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