The British royal family was rocked by shocking health announcements in 2024. King Charles III and his daughter-in-law Catherine, the Princess of Wales, commonly known as Kate Middleton, both revealed they had been diagnosed with cancer. As they began undergoing treatment, the focus turned to their spouses, who had to step up in their absence in the public space. Charles’ wife, Queen Camilla, in particular, began to receive public recognition and support after years of being negatively perceived.
Queen Camilla was born Camilla Rosemary Shand on July 17, 1947, in London, England. Her father, Bruce Shand, was a British Army officer, and her mother,Rosalind Cubitt , came from a wealthy British aristocratic family.
In 1973, Camilla married British Army officer Andrew Parker Bowles. They had two children together, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, before divorcing in 1995.
Camilla’s relationship with Charles began in the early 1970s before either of them was married. However, they went their separate ways, with Charles eventually marrying Princess Diana in 1981. Following Diana’s death in 1997, Charles and Camilla resumed their relationship, and they were married in a civil ceremony in 2005.
The negative views toward Camilla largely stem from her relationship with Charles during his marriage to Diana. Camilla was seen as a factor in the breakdown of Charles and Diana’s marriage. There were widespread reports and speculation about Charles’s continued close relationship with Camilla during his marriage to Diana, which fueled public resentment and criticism. Diana famously referred to Camilla as the “third person” in her marriage to Charles, which further contributed to the negative perception of Camilla, who was dubbed a “Rottweiler,” “hag,” and “old bag.”
However, over time, public opinion toward Camilla has softened as she has taken on more royal duties. Continue reading to discover more about Camilla’s journey and her health challenges.
