Charles and Camilla were married in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall in 2005 (Image: PTI File)
Queen was full of love for Charles and his new wife and secretly went above and beyond to cement her approval, according to Royal aide Harrold, who worked within Charles’ household for seven years between 2004 and 2011
After six seasons and three casts, Peter Morgan’s opulent fiction– “The Crown”–about the life of Queen Elizabeth II has ended. The ending of the sentimental series has reportedly been in the creator’s mind since the beginning, however, the Netflix show shifted slightly after the Queen’s death and concluded with Prince Charles’s long-awaited marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles.
Now King, Charles and Camilla tied the knot in 2005 after their lengthy love affair after first meeting in 1970. The late Queen, who was initially hesitant about their relationship, also reportedly gave her blessing to the nuptial.
Although Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh didn’t attend the wedding itself, they turned up for church service afterwards.
In its final instalment, ‘The Crown’ showed dramatised scenes of Charles’s proposal and subsequent request for the Queen’s approval to marry Camilla as the couple faced scrutiny following Princess Diana’s death in 1997 as well as the fallout faced by the Royal Family over its response.
It documented the initial reserve within the royal family around the couple’s wedding, with both Prince William and Prince Harry giving their approval first before the Queen gave the go-ahead to the marriage.
Did Queen Approve Of the Marriage?
However, several reports suggest that the Queen, after all, did approve of her eldest son’s second marriage, despite initial cynicism.
According to a report by The News, former royal butler Grant Harrold revealed Queen Elizabeth was heavily involved in the planning of Charles and Camilla’s wedding at Windsor Guildhall.
Queen was full of love for Charles and his new wife and secretly went above and beyond to cement her approval, the report quoted Harrold, who worked within Charles’ household for seven years between 2004 and 2011, as saying.
In an interview with Guides For Brides, Harold revealed that the late monarch played a huge part in organising important wedding details on the day, from the flowers to Charles and Camilla’s wedding rings
The Queen also gave a hilarious speech at the newlywed’s reception, according to the former royal aide.
“I remember walking to St George’s Hall for the reception, where they had drinks. The Queen had not attended the actual service but she gave a speech at the reception, which was seen as a big sign of her approval to the marriage,” Harrold said sharing his knowledge about the event.
“I can’t remember her exact words but she was funny. She compared their relationship to a Grand National horse race. She was a great comedian and had a way with words,” he added.
Timeline of Charles and Camilla’s Relationship
- Charles and Camilla met in 1970 and had a lengthy love affair and dating before it all came to an end.
- Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973 which left Charles heartbroken as he served in the Navy. Camilla and Andrew have a son and a daughter.
- However, despite Camilla’s marital status, she reportedly rekindled her romance with Charles around 1978 or 1979 with her husband already thought to be cheating on her.
- Amid growing pressure to marry from the Royal family, Charles started dating a young Diana Spencer in 1980.
- During this time, Charles and Camilla reportedly remained close. The then prince Charles married Diana in 1981.
- Diana and Charles’s marriage was rocky from the beginning as the couple welcomed their sons Princes William and Harry.
- Charles and Camilla reportedly began seeing each other in 1986.
- Charles and Diana formally separated in 1992, while Camilla and Andrew got divorced in 1995.
- Diana died in 1997. However, Charles and Camilla’s romance continued to face pressure from society and the Royal family and they waited eight years before getting married.
