Inside Camilla’s journey to the royal inner circle: ‘The union had to be accepted’

Queen Camilla will be officially recognised at the coronation on 6 May

A former member of King Charles’s court has recalled the challenges in coordinating his wedding to Camilla.

The couple, who are set to be officially crowned as King and Queen next month, have known each other since the Seventies.

While known as Prince Charles, the current monarch was married to Princess Diana for 15 years, divorcing in 1996. Meanwhile, Camilla was married to Andrew Parker-Bowles from 1973 to 1995.

Charles and Camilla finally married in April 2005. Ahead of their coronation, some of the couple’s closest companions have been sharing insights into their journey to this landmark moment.

In a new interview, a former courtier of the King has looked back on the task that Sir Michael Peat, Charles’s principal private secretary at the time, had in order to achieve a successful wedding for the pair.

“He had to align all the planets in a row – the union had to be accepted and supported by the Queen, Downing Street, the Church and the public,” the courtier explained to The Times.

“Everyone could see ‘the boss’ was devoted to her and wanted to marry her, and in time all parties came to see it was good for the future of the monarchy.”

The courtier went on to note that despite receiving a cold shoulder from public onlookers, due to the nature of Camilla and Charles’s relationship during his marriage to Princess Diana, Camilla didn’t express any upset with how she was received.

“Camilla was smart and more interested in and savvy about the media than the prince,” he said. “But the media environment was still incredibly hostile towards her. I never saw her show frustration or anger about it.”

Queen Camilla (Getty Images)

At their wedding in 2005, Queen Elizabeth II delivered a speech that spoke of her happiness at their union, despite having made her disapproval of the relationship clear in the past.

“My son is home and dry with the woman he loves,” the late monarch said in her toast, which marked a significant change in tone towards the current Queen Consort.

“The Queen’s speech set the tone going forwards – if the Queen says they are a good match, then everyone else just cracks on,” the courtier noted.

Camilla will hold an ivory sceptre at the coronation ceremony next month, despite previous reports that its inclusion would be dropped due to William, Prince of Wales’s anti-ivory campaign.

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