King Charles III and Queen Camilla have arrived in Italy on a state visit that doubles as a symbolic celebration of their 20th wedding anniversary, capping five decades of a love story marked by scandal, scrutiny, and resilience.
Their Majesties, 76 and 77 respectively, touched down in Rome to attend a black-tie State Banquet hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, just days before their April 9 milestone. The trip, set during the Catholic jubilee year-a rare event occurring every 25 years-underscores their evolving role as senior royals navigating a post-Elizabethan monarchy.
Camilla's younger sister, Annabel Elliot, broke her usual silence on the royal marriage in a rare public statement to The Mail, calling the couple's relationship "a huge friendship" and praising Camilla's loyalty. "There is not really anything competitive between them," Elliot said. "He is the King. And she will do her best to support him and be totally loyal to him."
"The humour. It's been such a bond between them. And even if they argue, they will always laugh," she added.
But the couple's current poise belies the chaos that once defined their relationship. Their bond began over 50 years ago when then-Prince Charles met 23-year-old Camilla Shand at a polo match. Though Charles reportedly wished to propose in 1973, he was dissuaded by his great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten, who orchestrated Charles' temporary departure and effectively ended the courtship-at least publicly.
Camilla married British Army officer Andrew Parker Bowles, while Charles, after several rumored romances, wed Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. Yet by the late 1980s, Charles and Camilla's affair had resumed-and in 1989, the so-called "Camillagate" tapes emerged, casting an unflattering spotlight on their late-night phone calls.
Recordings revealed Charles making comments that stunned the British public, including the now-infamous line expressing his desire to be reincarnated as Camilla's tampon. The fallout was immediate and severe, with Camilla later revealing that the scandal forced her into hiding for a year. "It was horrid. It was a deeply unpleasant time, and I wouldn't want to put my enemy through it," she said in an earlier interview.
Camilla and Charles each divorced their respective spouses in the mid-1990s, and the tragic death of Princess Diana in 1997 only intensified scrutiny of their relationship. Nevertheless, the couple wed in a civil ceremony in 2005, finally formalizing a romance that had weathered decades of royal and public resistance.
Behind palace walls, Camilla's lifestyle also raised eyebrows, particularly her reported struggles with alcohol. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, Camilla reportedly experienced a relapse and was quietly treated at the Soukya center in Bangalore, India-a wellness facility costing $4,000 a day. Sources indicated the treatment was presented as a "health spa" retreat.
Throughout the tumult, Camilla has grown into a more assured public figure, aware of the scrutiny but seemingly unfazed. "I was scrutinized for such a long time that you just have to find a way to live with it," she said. "Nobody likes to be looked at all the time and, you know, criticized. But I think in the end, I sort of rise above it and get on with it."
That steadiness, Elliot emphasized, is part of Camilla's enduring strength. "She is a very strong character and she sticks to her guns," Elliot said. "She is incredibly loyal to people she loves... You always know where you stand."
