It was a love that was tested in time, fought hard even to the extent of hurting people around them and an affair that has shattered all royal protocols and laws pertaining to fidelity and marriage. Almost 4 decades ago when Camilla Shand and Prince Charles have met in a polo match in Windsor and it was loved at first sight, however, the former had other priorities and standards when it comes to choosing the man she will marry. Because of that one decision from Camilla Shand, Prince Charles and the rest of the royalties of Buckingham Palace specifically Queen Elizabeth, was put into a whirlwind of scandals, secrecy, and heartaches.
Coming from a former boarding school classmate of Camilla, actress Lynn Redgrave revealed that it was Andrew Parker Bowles, a powerful British Army officer, who has caught the attention of Camilla Shand because of his well-afford background. So in just 3 years after having a relationship with Prince Charles, Camilla accepted a marriage proposal from Andrew Parker Bowles and wrote the devastating news to Prince Charles who went for his navy training in West Indies. The heartbroken Prince Charles cannot do anything and even tried to stop the wedding by writing to Camilla days before the event, the agonizing story was published by Penny Junor on his 2017 book The Duchess: The Untold Story. Prince Charles went through all this by just writing all his emotions and sadness while he was thousands of miles from England.
Camilla Shand went all the way to get what she wanted even though Andrew Bowles was already seeing Prince Charles' sister, Princess Ann and even had an affair with her, despite all these mishaps, Camilla was utterly determined at that time to marry the handsome and rich cavalry officer. Lady luck comes along with Camilla Shand as her father and brother also approve of Andrew Bowles; however, her mother Rosalind could feel how her daughter was mistreated by Andrew Bowles. Eventually, Camilla Shand and Andrew Bowles got married in July of 1973 and the former thought she got what she wanted after just a few years of marital bliss.
On 1977, Prince Charles met then 16-year old Diana Parker when he was deliberately rejected by Princess Diana's sister, Lady Sarah Parker. It was then revealed by Lady Sarah that she was the main matchmaker for Prince Charles and Princess Diana who eventually got married on July 29, 1981, a fairy tale wedding and one of Britain's sensationalized relationship. However, Camilla Shand was there in the shadows, as she was uninvited by Princess Diana, hovering on the newlyweds, allegedly looking for a chance. Sadly, Princess Diana already knew it all as she revealed in an interview on BBC with Martin Bashir, Diana famously admits, "There were three of us in the marriage, so it was a bit crowded."
On April 9, 2005, at Windsor Guildhall, Prince Charles married Camilla in a civil ceremony attended by Prince William who served as the best man, and even Camilla's ex-husband and his second wife. With all the wrong decisions in the past, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall has come in terms with fate and the rest of the royal family as Queen Elizabeth will finally turn over the crown to Prince Charles. And despite all that has happened, Camilla Shand still gets the title Princess of Wales and eventually Queen of England alongside the future King.
