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While we’re on the subject of Queen Camilla’s relationships, it’s worth mentioning that perhaps the bumpiest one she has had so far is with both the media and the public at large.
"I'm very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry, with the woman he loves," said the late Queen at Charles and Camilla’s wedding reception at Windsor Castle in 2005.
"[S]he was called hag, old bag, witch. I mean, these were the kind of words that were used about Camilla for years," royal biographer Tina Brown said. Queen Camilla’s image, however, has been largely restored.
Markle visited the National Theatre in a private capacity, while Camilla gave a speech to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Women of the World Festival in London. Pictures of Meghan Markle dominated the news.
"Her image has been transformed, a carefully managed makeover, and they have done a fantastic job rehabilitating her [reputation]," points out PR executive Roddi Vaughan-Thomas.
Queen Elizabeth II took her time accepting her son’s relationship with Camilla. The late Queen didn’t sanction their relationship until years after the affair. It was not until seven months before her death that Queen Elizabeth II announced that Camilla, the then-Duchess of Cornwall, would become Queen Consort when Charles became King.
The story goes that Meghan Markle fell out of Queen Camilla’s graces when the two attended separate events on the same day, but the media gave a lot more coverage to Markle.
Royal correspondent Katie Nicholl said Queen Elizabeth II once referred to Camilla as "that wicked woman." The two would eventually get along fine, years later.
Reportedly, Princess Anne never really supported the idea of Camilla becoming Queen. "Like many people who didn't know Anne well, Camilla found her frosty demeanor difficult and somewhat unnerving to cope with [at first]," explains royal biographer Angela Levin.
Fergie was close to Princess Diana, so it was expected for Camilla and the Duchess of York not to become best friends since the beginning.
What perhaps was not expected was the rumor of the two clashing at a summer retreat both attended at Balmoral in 2018. Apparently, the argument was over Camilla and Charles’ relationship while Princess Diana was still alive.
Queen Camilla has always had a complex relationship with her husband's sister, Princess Anne. Perhaps because Princess Anne had a relationship with Camilla's ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles.
The two eventually went on to tolerate each other, but royal author Penny Junor points out that Camilla has been slightly intimidated by Anne. "Princess Anne is quite a tricky character and she can be quite abrasive," Junor added.
Apparently the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales do not refer to Queen Camilla as “grandmother.”
According to Levin, "William has made it clear that Camilla is the wife of his father, but not a step-grandmother to his children."
According to royal biographer Christopher Andersen, when the two met Camilla didn’t think Kate Middleton was fit to join the royal family.
We know that Prince William and his stepmother don’t have a warm relationship, but how about the Queen and Princess Catherine? Well, they reportedly tolerate each other.
William and Harry were no longer kids when Camilla and Charles got married, so she never really had a maternal influence on them. "She was more of a friendly grown-up they saw occasionally at royal gatherings. She tried to be encouraging rather than influential," explains author Angela Levin in her book ‘Camilla: From Outcast to Queen Consort.’
Indeed, the relationship between Queen Camilla and Prince Harry was uncomfortable from the start, and the tension appears to still be present to this day. "[I see] someone who married into this institution and has done everything she can to improve her own reputation and her own image for her own sake," wrote Harry in his book.
Camilla may not be an evil stepmother, but Prince Harry (and his brother) wasn’t too happy about his father marrying her after the death of his mother. "We thought that it was going to cause more harm than good," he said.
The two are polite toward one another, but this is as close as their relationship gets. “When I see her, we're perfectly pleasant with each other," wrote Prince Harry in his memoir ‘Spare.’
To say that Lady Di and Camilla were friends might be a bit of a stretch. Indeed, the two did have an awkward relationship.
The relationship between the two eventually turned hostile at a party in 1989, when Princess Diana confronted Camilla about her affair with then-Prince Charles. Diana and Charles separated in 1992.
The two even went out together for lunch once, after Diana and Charles got engaged. Apparently, Camilla wanted to congratulate Diana and see her ring. It was an experience Lady Di recalled as being “pretty awkward,” with the conversation being "tricky."
The late Princess of Wales recalled her first encounter with Camilla in Andrew Morton's 1992 book ‘Diana: In Her Own Words.’ "I met [Camilla] very early on. I was introduced to the circle, but I was a threat. I was a very young girl, but I was a threat," were Lady Di’s words.
In the end, with the help of the royal family, Queen Camilla managed to endure all the abuse, earn her place among royals, and restore her public image. But at what cost?
Queen Camilla has been a controversial figure for many years. Camilla Parker Bowles’ love affair with then-Prince Charles and their subsequent marriage put her in the spotlight.
Queen Camilla was an easy target for tabloids. Prince Harry pointed out in an interview that "she was the villain, she was a third person in the marriage, she needed to rehabilitate her image."
It seemed that, when the two met, they bonded over their love of wine and yoga. Camilla is said to have supported Markle’s relationship with Prince Harry since the beginning, too.
Queen Camilla has been a polarizing figure for many years, particularly among the public. But how are her relationships with other members of the royal family? Is she accepted by other royals, does she get along with any of them besides Charles, and does she have any friends among royal circles?
In this gallery, we go through Queen Camilla's most uncomfortable relationships with other royals. Click through and get to know what goes on behind palace doors.
Queen Camilla's uncomfortable relationships with other royals
She certainly wasn't introduced to the family on good terms
CELEBRITY British royal family
Queen Camilla has been a polarizing figure for many years, particularly among the public. But how are her relationships with other members of the royal family? Is she accepted by other royals, does she get along with any of them besides Charles, and does she have any friends among royal circles?
In this gallery, we go through Queen Camilla's most uncomfortable relationships with other royals. Click through and get to know what goes on behind palace doors.