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Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,910
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Queen Camilla and Her History with Others in the Royal Family

There is a new book coming out by Angela Levin. I learned a lot reading about it and comments from other royal experts.

 

 

 

Charles and Camilla were introduced by Princess Anne, who was dating Andrew Parker-Bowles. Charles fell hard, but thought he was too young to marry, so Camilla turned to Andrew. Her father and her brother forced Andrew's hand when they printed an engagement announcement in the paper while Charles was in Australia.

 

 

Charles adored his grandmother, and she pushed him to marry Diana.

 

 

 

Anne is still close to Andrew, but had nothing to do with Camilla until very lately. She discouraged Charles from marrying Camilla and told him she would never be a queen. 

 

 

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip weren't crazy about her either. Prince Philip in particular loved Diana. He was upset about Charles' affair with Camilla, and when Diana and Charles divorced he wrote to Diana saying he couldn't believe Charles would choose Camilla over her.

 

 

 

It wasn't until shortly before he died that he finally came around. He and the Queen kept their distance until Charles' 60th birthday party. 

 

 

Charles intended to introduce his boys to Camilla, but William kept making excuses. Harry was young, but William heard the fighting between his parents over his dad's affair. Then Diana died. A year later Charles was ready to try again. William met her by accident, not realizing she would be there, and Harry met her a few weeks later with Camilla's children present. Charles tried to get everyone together. They apparently had a "cool" relationship after that. (This fits with what Mr. Burrell told me.) 

 

 

 

When Kate came on the scene Camilla wasn't a fan. She didn't think Kate's background was appropriate for a future queen. But later she helped plan Kate's wedding, and apparently they are good now, although Kate prefers hanging out with her younger friends. The exit of Harry and Meghan has helped their relationship.

 

 


Camilla liked Meghan when she met her. She realized what it was like to be an outsider and wanted to help Meghan. But Meghan "acted bored and wanted to do her own thing." 

 

 

 

Harry is the one who hasn't come around that much. According to an insider he sees her only as the cause of his mother's unhappiness.

 

 

 

Here's something else I learned:

 

 

 

Queen Elizabeth always listened to Andrew, and would usually do what he suggested. Years ago when William was a teenager he and Diana, with Sarah's input, decided Charles would just not be a good choice for king. Diana suggested William be made king with Andrew as Regent until William turned 18.

 

 

 

Andrew went to the Queen with this idea. Insiders say this was the first time they knew about that the Queen said no to Andrew. 

 

 

Andrew never liked Camilla. He said she "couldn't be trusted," and urged Charles not to marry her.

 

 

It seems like a lot of family members have now accepted Camilla. Apparently she, Princess Anne, Princess Kate, and Sophie have been supporting the Queen together since the death of Prince Philip.

 

 

It was pretty certain Camilla was going to be "Princess Consort" when Charles became King. Queen Elizabeth was the one who wanted her to be Queen.

 

 

And so on. . ! 

 

 

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,221
Registered: ‎11-08-2014

Re: Queen Camilla and Her History with Others in the Royal Family

[ Edited ]

Wow, @beach-mom ,  I was reading about Angela Levin's book today also!

 

I was a bit taken aback, weren't you, by that assertion that Diana, Andrew and Sarah formed a "cabal" of sorts, to try to persuade the Queen about making Charles a mere Regent, with the throne going to William.

 

I long ago heard rumblings that Diana indeed wanted that, but had no idea that Andrew actively pushed for that behind the scenes, against his own brother!   If true, how treacherous, but in light of what has come to light about Andrew, I suppose not that surprising.

 

Edited to add--  Oh, I just noticed that you said Andrew wanted to be Regent!  Not Charles as I had thought-- I must have read the thing wrong!  Gosh, that's even worse.

The chutzpah to think he should supercede his brother, even as just Regent, gosh.   

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,206
Registered: ‎09-18-2010

Re: Queen Camilla and Her History with Others in the Royal Family

How Machiavellian!  Oh what a web we weave when first we practice to deceive.  Karma gets you in the end!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,910
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Queen Camilla and Her History with Others in the Royal Family

@Oznell - I will admit I was shocked too! Way before Andrew's current situation, I always thought he was the cute party boy. When he married Sarah it seemed like the perfect marriage. Then that fell apart. But I always admired the way the two of them stayed close and raised their girls. 

 

And I always thought he and Charles were close. I guess not. 

 

 

 

I have read many times he was the Queen's favorite. How that must have made the others feel! And she tried to keep things private, but that got out.

 

 

 

About his recent troubles, he was never convicted. I know a lot of people will think I'm nuts, but we have a close friend who was falsely accused in a he said, she said situation. It took over a year and a lot of anguish for everyone, but she finally admitted she made a mistake and it was someone else.  He was a trusting person who would go out of his way to help someone. He still is. He's just very careful. 

 

 

But after learning this, I think the best thing Andrew can do is take care of his mother's pups and play with his grandchildren!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,481
Registered: ‎11-24-2013

Re: Queen Camilla and Her History with Others in the Royal Family

@beach-mom Who is this author who purports to have all this information?

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,960
Registered: ‎05-21-2010

Re: Queen Camilla and Her History with Others in the Royal Family

This just says to me that the royal family is nothing more than highly paid soap opera characters. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,910
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Queen Camilla and Her History with Others in the Royal Family

 


@Love my grandkids wrote:

@beach-mom Who is this author who purports to have all this information?


@Love my grandkids - Angela Levin

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,035
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: Queen Camilla and Her History with Others in the Royal Family

I have not read anything about the book BUT I am adding my 2 cents.

 

I had heard a number of times that Andrew had supposedly been Queen Elizabeth's favorite. Not sure how people came to that conclusion but some people did.

 

Then a saw a documentary about Windsor Castle. And when they talked about the fire, one of the first statements was because of Prince Andrew many priceless items were saved. The firemen were trying to fight the fire. So Andrew called up the British Army and they removed paintings, rugs, furniture and as much as they could. 

 

Prince Philip was in Argentina (I think, he was far away) and the Queen was in London. So Andrew took over trying to save as much as he could. There was film of him coordinating the removal of items.

Then you saw the Queen arriving. She looked so grateful that Andrew took charge.

 

I was impressed how he coordinated the work that had to be done.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,558
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Queen Camilla and Her History with Others in the Royal Family

they are like many families that have to adjust to, deaths, re-marriages and affairs. they just had the world watching them.

 

i sometimes forget that the queen had 4 children.  at least, i don't hear anything about Prince Edward. Good or Bad.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 69,382
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Queen Camilla and Her History with Others in the Royal Family

I've wondered if, sometime in the near future now that Phillip is gone, Andrew and Sarah might remarry.  They are said to live together and seem very close.  Andrew is a pariah and Sarah seems to be the only one who cares for him.

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