Future King Left Devastated After Camilla Accepted Andrew Parker Bowles' Proposal
King Charles was left heartbroken during the early stages of his romance with Camilla after receiving a letter that would change the course of their relationship. Before their respective first marriages, the pair were romantically involved, with Charles reportedly deeply infatuated with Camilla.
However, their romance was interrupted when a 24-year-old Charles embarked on a Royal Navy tour. During his time away, Camilla wrote to him, delivering the devastating news that she had accepted a marriage proposal from Andrew Parker Bowles, a Guards officer and her long-time on-again, off-again boyfriend.
Royal author Penny Junor, in her book The Duchess: The Untold Story, revealed the emotional impact the letter had on Charles, stating, "It broke his heart." According to Junor, the distraught prince confided in friends and family, expressing his pain through anguished letters. In one such letter, Charles described the situation as "cruel" and lamented that their "blissful, peaceful, and mutually happy relationship" had lasted only six months.
Camilla and Andrew Parker Bowles went on to marry on July 4, 1973, in what was dubbed the "society wedding of the year," attended by notable figures, including Princess Anne and the Queen Mother. The couple had two children, Tom, for whom Charles was named a godfather, and Laura. Their marriage, however, ended in divorce in 1995 after years of living apart.
In February 2005, after years of renewed closeness, Charles and Camilla announced their engagement and married in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall, followed by a reception at Windsor Castle, marking the next chapter in their long and storied relationship.
