How King Charles III and Queen Camilla Came to Be
The King and Queen of England had a rather controversial start to their story. But today, they are beacons of hope for the millions of citizens they continue to lead together.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla's relationship began in the early seventies, and went on even during their previous marriages. Following the end of each respective marriage, the pair continued their romance and went on to become husband and wife in the early 2000s.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive for a visit to the Sandringham Flower Show 2025 at Sandringham House on July 23, 2025, in King's Lynn, England. | Source: Getty Images
The couple faced intense scrutiny after their affair made headlines in the 1990s but won the public over again in the years that followed. Despite the tumultuous media storm, they remained together and have been going strong for decades.
Here's how Charles III and Camilla's love story came to be.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla pose with religious representatives holding nosegay bouquets after the Royal Maundy service at York Minster on April 6, 2023, in York, England. | Source: Getty Images
The King and Queen Meet
Charles and Camilla first met in 1970 at a polo match in Windsor Great Park when they were introduced by their mutual friend, Lucia Santa Cruz. According to the 2017 biography, "The Duchess: The Untold Story" authored by Penny Junor, Charles was immediately smitten with Camilla.
"He loved the fact that she smiled with her eyes as well as her mouth, and laughed at the same silly things as he did," Junor wrote, per People. "He also liked that she was so natural and easy and friendly, not in any way overawed by him, not fawning or sycophantic. In short, he was very taken with her, and after that first meeting he began ringing her up."
KIng Charles and Queen Camilla, circa 1979. | Source: Getty Images
In 1971, Charles joined the Royal Navy, and his demanding schedule put great strain on their relationship. What further complicated matters was that Camilla didn’t meet the prerequisites to marry England’s heir to the throne. Seeing their romance would lead nowhere, they decided to go their separate ways.
Two years later, in 1973 — much to Charles’s dismay — Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles. The pair went on to welcome two children together: son Thomas Henry and daughter Laura Parker Bowles. Yet, despite his heartbreak, Charles remained good friends with Camilla.
King Charles and Queen Camilla leave The Ritz Hotel in London After A Birthday Party For Her Sister, Annabel, circa 1999. | Source: Getty Images
Charles and Camilla's Affair Begins
Around 1978 or 1979, Charles and Camilla reportedly reignited their physical relationship. According to Junor in "The Duchess: The Untold Story," Camilla's husband knew. "Andrew was in no position to complain; and when he discovered what was going on, he wisely didn't make a fuss," Junor wrote.
Then, in 1980, Charles began courting Lady Diana Spencer despite his continued closeness with Camilla. Diana was born into an aristocratic family, which made her better suited to wed the heir to the throne, at least by royal standards.
Lady Diana Spencer reveals her sapphire and diamond engagement ring while she and Prince Charles pose for photographs on the grounds of Buckingham Palace following the announcement of their engagement on February 21, 1981. | Source: Getty Images
The pair tied the knot in 1981 and welcomed their sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. A couple of years after Harry was born, Charles and Camilla reportedly began seeing each other again.
Diana eventually discovered the affair and confronted Camilla. However, she and Charles would not separate until 1992. The following year, British tabloids leaked transcripts of Charles and Camilla’s private phone calls, publicly exposing their affair.
During a 1994 interview, Charles admitted to being unfaithful to Diana. As for Camilla, he described her as "a great friend," to whom he would remain close "for a very long time."
King Charles and Queen Camilla attend the Service of Prayer and Dedication following their marriage at The Guildhall, at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2005, in Berkshire, England. | Source: Getty Images
The Beginning of the End — and a New Beginning
In 1995, Camilla divorced her husband, Andrew, while Charles ended his marriage with Diana in 1996. Only two years after his divorce did his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, confront him about his relationship with Camilla.
While she reportedly didn't approve of their romance initially, her stance softened over time. Charles and Camilla went on to announce their engagement in February 2005. They tied the knot a few months later, in April, and have been going strong since.