For her, life wouldn't truly begin until she made it to the altar. She hadn't gone to university, and instead of pursuing a career, she'd taken temporary jobs. Like most other girls with her background, she'd been raised to expect that her life path would be to get married, then set up a home with her husband and children. While Charles wasn't ready for matrimony, Camilla was. Given the number of women Charles dated over the years, he seemed to have taken this advice to heart. In addition to counseling Charles about how experienced his wife should be, Mountbatten had also told him a man should sow his wild oats and have as many affairs as he can before settling down. Though Charles quickly developed strong feelings for Camilla while they were together and was ostensibly wife-hunting (he was first in line to the throne, with a duty to produce an heir) - at the time he wasn't ready to marry. READ MORE: Inside Prince Charles' Long Hunt For a Bride Charles wasn't ready for marriage. When he wed Lady Diana Spencer, he was 31 and she was 19 the large age gap helped ensure she didn't have any kind of serious romantic past. But this hypocrisy did factor into the prince's choice of a mate. Mountbatten wrote a letter to a 25-year-old Charles in 1974 that said, in part: "I think it is disturbing for women to have experiences if they have to remain on a pedestal after marriage." Plus Charles was constantly in the media spotlight, and his wife's past romances would have been subject to widespread press attention.Īny reproach of Camilla's love life reflected a strong societal double standard since Charles' many flings earned no condemnation. In fact, Mountbatten had advised him that finding a virginal bride was paramount. Unfortunately, Charles and those around him believed it was important his wife - and future queen - not have an extensive romantic history. Her dating life wasn't out of the ordinary, but she was seen by the palace as "experienced" - and because the relationships were public knowledge, Camilla couldn't put up a pretense of purity. And when not with Parker Bowles, she'd had other boyfriends. They ended up in a passionate, though problematic, relationship. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles in 1979 Photo: TIM GRAHAM/Getty ImagesĬamilla had many relationships which made her too 'experienced'Ĭamilla had met Andrew Parker Bowles, a Household Cavalry officer, in 1965. Camilla's background wasn't a strong asset, but it also wasn't the sole reason she was deemed unsuitable. Of course, a few decades later Kate Middleton was able to marry Charles' son Prince William even though she was a commoner. Mutual friend Lucia Santa Cruz reportedly joked about the relationship when she introduced them, saying, "Now, you two, be very careful, you’ve got genetic antecedents." Yet the connection wasn't one likely to render Camilla more suitable in the eyes of a monarchy dedicated to preserving its public image. Lord Louis Mountbatten, a mentor, great-uncle, and surrogate grandfather to the prince, had a match between Charles and his own granddaughter in mind.Ĭamilla didn't possess a title, but she did have a royal link: Her great-grandmother, Alice Keppel, had been a mistress of Edward VII, Charles' great-grandfather. During his bachelor years, he was often linked to the daughters of dukes and earls, one of whom was Lady Sarah Spencer, older sister to the girl who would become Princess Diana. However, many of those around Charles wanted the prince to wed someone with the highest aristocratic pedigrees. Camilla was considered a commonerĬamilla was from an upper-class background her wealthy, well-connected relations included a grandfather who was a baron. Here's a look at the critiques and considerations of Camilla that kept the couple (officially) apart until they were able to finally tie the knot in 2005. Instead, the two went on to wed other partners, engaged in a scandalous affair, and watched as Camilla become the long-time object of public scorn. Yet their connection couldn't transform Camilla into a suitable match for the heir to the British throne - at least at the time. Camilla was close in age (just 16 months older), shared similar interests and knew how to listen to the prince. By the time he was 23, Prince Charles was in love with Camilla Shand.
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