After a source claimed that Prince Harry and his brother would never accept Camilla Bowles being given the title of queen, Queen Elizabeth expressed conflicting wishes. What effect did the monarch’s decision have on the royal family? Find out.
The love story of Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Charles remains one of the most controversial. Although he married Princess Diana, the Prince of Wales never stopped loving his former girlfriend (Bowles), and soon, the two began an affair.
In 1996, Diana and Charles’ marriage finally ended, and the question of “Could Bowles become the next Queen of England?” sparked debate. With everything going on, some people, including Prince Harry, remain unaware of Bowles’ identity.
But thanks to a television show, the Duke of Sussex would finally see the woman who could replace his mother as the future queen. Prince Harry learned Bowles’ identity in January 1997 while watching the TV show with his mother and Prince William.
During the show, the audience was asked if Mrs. Bowles could one day become queen, and they had to answer “yes” by raising blue cards or “no” by raising red cards. The majority of the audience responded negatively, and at that moment, Prince Harry asked,
“Who is Camilla?”
Princess Diana was unable to answer her son’s question. She told him that it was a question he should ask his father. Eight months later, Diana passed away, and a few months after her death, Prince William and Prince Harry finally met Bowles.
The first meeting between Prince William and the Duchess took place on June 12, 1998, at St James’s Palace. The former had gone to the palace unexpectedly without knowing that Mrs. Bowles would be there.
However, the first meeting went well as William and the Duchess spoke for about 30 minutes, after which she reportedly said she needed a “gin and tonic.”
Unfortunately, Bowles’ first meeting with Prince Harry was not as smooth as the one between William and her. An insider revealed that the meeting was uncomfortable for the young prince, who longed for his late mother and missed her. The insider recalled that Prince Harry did not want to be there.
THE JOURNEY OF MRS. BOWLES TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY
Despite Prince Harry’s initial reaction during his first meeting with Mrs. Bowles, Prince Charles keeps the Duchess close to him. In August 1999, she and her children join the Prince of Wales and his two sons for a family vacation in Greece.
Gradually, Prince Harry becomes more comfortable with his stepmother, and she is accepted into the royal family. In June 2000, Mrs. Bowles finally meets Queen Elizabeth on the occasion of King Constantine of Greece’s 60th birthday at Highgrove.
Two years later, the Duchess of Cornwall moves in with Prince Charles. They stay at Highgrove in Gloucestershire and then move to Clarence House. During their relocation, the royal family announces that the decoration of Mrs. Bowles’ suite will not be funded by public funds.
In the years that follow, Charles and the Duchess live happily as an unmarried couple. But on April 9, 2005, they finally have their happy ending. They get married at Windsor Guildhall in Berkshire.
Unfortunately, Queen Elizabeth does not attend the wedding ceremony due to her role as the head of the Church of England, which is against divorce.
However, later in the day, the monarch and her late husband, Prince Philip, showed their approval of the union by organizing a reception for the couple at Windsor Castle.
WHAT WILL BE BOWLES’ TITLE WHEN HER HUSBAND BECOMES KING?
Due to Mrs. Bowles’ position as the wife of the heir to the throne, there have been unanswered questions regarding the title she will receive when the Prince of Wales ascends the throne.
It is believed that the Duchess will receive the title of Princess Consort instead of Queen, given that she contributed to the end of Prince Charles’ first marriage. However, the Prince of Wales seems to have a different opinion on his wife’s future title.
During an interview with Brian Williams, Prince Charles was asked if Mrs Bowles would become Queen of England if and when he became King. The Prince replied: “It could be the case”.
However, despite Prince Charles’ controversial response, Buckingham Palace said that nothing had changed and that Mrs Bowles would still be given the title of Princess Consort.
This decision saddened Prince Charles, as he had always hoped that his sons would accept Bowles as his full-fledged Queen Consort when he becomes king.
“He is obsessed with this issue, constantly trying to negotiate with them. But they will never say ‘Yes’ to Camilla taking the place that their mother should have occupied,” a friend of Prince William said.
Historian Robert Lacey confirmed the remarks made by William’s friend regarding the brothers’ refusal to accept Bowles as the queen’s support. Lacey revealed that Prince Charles had exerted pressure in order for his wife to obtain the title of queen, which made both Prince Harry and his brother sick.
“In private, I discovered that the two brothers are sick to the teeth with Charles trying to negotiate full queen status for Camilla,” Lacey once admitted.
QUEEN ELIZABETH CHANGES HER MIND ABOUT BOWLES’ FUTURE TITLE.
In February 2022, Queen Elizabeth sparked much speculation when she expressed her desire to see Bowles crowned as queen when Prince Charles becomes king. In a written message to England, a few months before her platinum jubilee celebrations, Queen Elizabeth declared:
“I am eternally grateful and humbled by the loyalty and affection that you continue to show me. And when the time comes for my son Charles to become king, I know that you will extend to him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have shown me.”
“And it is my sincerest wish that, when that time comes, Camilla be known as Queen Consort as she continues her loyal services,” she added.
Later that month, royal author Christopher Andersen revealed to US Weekly that the queen’s surprising decision “creates a rift within the royal family.”
According to Andersen, Prince Harry and Prince William were completely caught off guard by Queen Elizabeth’s decision. Following the monarch’s statement, the world awaits what will unfold during Prince Charles’ ascension to the throne.
For now, everything seems to be going well within the royal family. Prince Charles, Prince Bowles, and Prince William appeared with Queen Elizabeth on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to mark the end of the platinum jubilee celebrations.
