It’s no secret that the queen has had her differences with Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. After their scandalous affair, who could blame her? That said, skipping out on the couple’s wedding ceremony was not something many expected.
Ahead, we share the real reason the queen refused to attend Charles and Camilla’s royal wedding (page 5). Plus, the shocking stunt she pulled at their reception (page 7).
Charles dated Camilla before Princess Diana
Charles and Camilla go back nearly 50 years. | Hugo Burnand/Pool/Getty Images
Charles and Camilla go way back. Long before he met Diana, Charles and Camilla actually dated. However, their relationship came to an end — or so people thought — after he and Diana got together.
That said, Charles and Diana’s relationship (and marriage) didn’t stop the prince from continuing his relationship with his former girlfriend. Despite being visibly upset by their affair, Diana went on to have her own extramarital rendezvous.
Next: This caused a lot of drama
The queen was not happy about the affair
The queen was angry about the affair. | Paul Grover – Pool/Getty Images
Needless to say, the queen was not happy about either of the affairs and, according to Popsugar, formally ordered them to get a divorce.
That said, she took the news of Camilla particularly hard. Camilla had been a trusted friend of the family — she had been previously married to the Queen Mother’s godson, Andrew Parker Bowles — and the queen wasn’t quite sure how to handle the sticky (and very public) situation.
Next: The queen reacts
Camilla was banned from Buckingham Palace
While she’s a common sight there now, Camilla was once banned from Buckingham Palace. | Anthony Devlin – WPA Pool /Getty Images
After word got out about their affair, the queen took matters into her own hands and had Camilla banned from Buckingham Palace — a place she will ironically call home one day — and it’s guest lists.
Thanks to her and Charles’ extramarital affair, Camilla’s relationship with the queen hasn’t always been great. On the outside, it might look like they get along great, but their messy past still haunts them. In fact, the queen has been caught name-calling a handful of times and reportedly thinks Camilla is a “wicked woman” and looks “rather used.” Ouch!
Next: Some officials believe their marriage isn’t legal.
Civil ceremony
The couple were married in a civil ceremony, not a royal wedding. | Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images
Charles and Camilla didn’t have a traditional royal wedding. In fact, some officials have even questioned whether or not their union is even legal, given the fact that they had a civil service and the queen clearly did not approve of the couple. According to the Succession to the Throne Act, the heir to the throne must have the monarch’s approval to mary.
According to Telegraph, Charles is believed to be the first heir to the throne to have a civil service. The decision for this type of ceremony was based on Charles and Camilla wanting a low-key wedding. After a very public affair, who could blame them?
Next: The real reason the queen refused to attend Charles and Camilla’s royal wedding.
Conflict of interest
The queen did not want to conflict with her royal role. | Michael Ukas /Pool /Getty Images
Contrary to what you might think, it wasn’t about the queen not wanting Charles and Camilla to get married. In fact, they had her blessing.
The real reason the queen refused to attend their nuptials? As the Supreme Governor of the Church, the queen felt that Charles and Camilla’s civil marriage ceremony interfered with her role, especially since the ceremony involved the heir to the throne.
According to Telegraph, she did not want to damage the Church of England and chose her role over her family.
Next: The queen made sure she was present for this.
She attended the blessing
The queen attended the royal blessing after the civil ceremony. | CHRIS YOUNG/AFP/Getty Images
Despite skipping the civil service, the queen still showed her support by showing face at the couple’s official blessing.
The blessing took place at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle — the same venue where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said “I do.”
Next: How she made up for missing their wedding.
She hosted the reception
The queen played hostess at the reception. | Hugo Burnand/Pool/Getty Images
The queen made up for her absence by throwing her son and daughter-in-law a royal wedding reception at Windsor Castle.
That said, she clearly still had some mixed feelings about the ordeal and reportedly refused to talk to Camilla on her wedding day.
Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook!
