Charles and Camilla: The Marriage (2005 and on)

[Kataryn]

My thoughts exactly.

I'm only interested in Camilla's health due to the problems she might have to live accordingly. I can't see her eg going for a rehab or to a spa for some weeks. Or step down her work load. Just because she is Camilla and cannot give the media more chances to write her down, now that the queen gets older and older. That's sad and I don't want that to happen to her. But I need not read her medical records, mind you!

 

[Mirabel]

I too saw no problems with these two during the Scandinavian tour but I do think that the agencies and the press don't like the idea of a happy Charles so try to find the least flattering photos at times to try to create trouble where none exists.

I agree; I believe there are certain elements in the media that just can't accept that Charles is happier than he's ever been, and want him to feel remorse, or at least some regret.

I think others are more severe, and want him punished for the breakdown of his first marriage. A beaming, confident Charles is anathema for them.

 

[EIIR]

I don't understand this need for public individuals to 'demonstrate emotion'. It reminds me of the royal wedding last year when people were disappointed that neither William nor Kate cried, or weren't touching one another enough, or not holding hands.

The fact that Charles and Camilla don't kiss in public is that they obviously see that kind of intimacy as private. I think Charles is much like his parents, and indeed William in that way. Harry is a different kettle of fish.

 

[Nico]

Well the strange thing is that i found them quite touchy and intimate. Don't get me wrong we're talking about Charles and he's not famous for being too extravagant about that (and the Windors in general BTW) BUT on the scale of the "british royals emotions in public" i think they crossed the line, and more that once with that !

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles Photos - The Prince Of Wales Visits Cornwall - Zimbio

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles Photos - Charles And Camilla Visit India - Day 3 - Zimbio

Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Charles Photos - Camilla and Prince Charles Visit Tanzania - Zimbio

Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Charles Photos - Prince Charles And Camilla, Duchess Of Cornwall Visit Morocco - Day 2 - Zimbio

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles Photos - Prince Charles And Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Brazil Tour - Day 1 - Zimbio

And they often manage to have some "moments" despite the formality :

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles Photos - 19th Commonwealth Games - Opening Ceremony - Zimbio

Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Charles Photos - Prince Charles Attends Drumhead Service in Edinburgh - Zimbio

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles Photos - Prince Charles And Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Brazil Tour - Day 5 - Zimbio

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles Photos - Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles visit South Africa - Day 2 - Zimbio

And my all time favorite (thanks to Getty).

http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh535/niconemo/candc.jpg

Well as usual i'll not be too worried about the state of their marriage. It's an enduring love for sure...

 

[maryr0249]

Thank you for those lovely photos, Nico. I also agree with what Iluvbertie and others said earlier about stills vs. videos. In stills, it sometimes looks like Charles is ignoring Camilla. In videos, I've noticed that he keeps "an eye" on her. When he moves on, he glances back or over; if he's close he reaches in her direction. I believe that in Africa his facial expression was noticeably relaxed and relieved the day she arrived. I also think (or imagine) that the two of them are more relaxed together when they are abroad. That said, I fully expect this Diamond Jubilee year, with all the attendant hoopla, physical stress, and psychological stuff dumped on Charles, will be taxing on both bones and brains (I'm about their age). God knows they have weathered incredible storms before, though, they will weather this one, too.

 

[Tyger]

Can someone tell me why it is that hard on the heels of some really "good" press from the Scandinavian tour, suddenly people are "seeing" cracks in the relationship...

Since this seems to be a directed post let me say that this is a discussion Board. I have an interest in Royalty that NO ONE in my RL circle has - in fact, were I to mention anything about my interest, my priorities would be questioned. It would be considered a bit of a strange past time - given my fairly gritty RL work and who I associate with on a daily basis.

If you have read the thread since I brought up the question you will see that the question is not 'sudden' for several people - and that in the discussion some really good insights have been brought forward. Nothing about this is 'poison' or non-supportive - just a discussion. I - as a supporter - was not announcing the demise of the relationship - just to be clear - I was bringing up an impression of a change recently - and wondered if all was well, healthwise, too.

In the end, some are taking the initial discussion to a dire spin that it never was. At another time I brought up the topic and had my post deleted because it was speculation. This time it wasn't deleted - and while I am grateful I can see some merit in not bringing it up because of such reactions. Some things seem best discussed via pm - but then one loses the wider input - almost makes one wish for a 'private' board where gritty stuff can be discussed without fear of reprimand. Even my comments about the Wessexes are brought up - which I particularly said was not as comparison.

P.S. I understand about nano-seconds of photos btw. What I am saying is with a background of understanding photography - and celebrity. Incidentally, some of the photos are dead-on, with the subject looking straight into the lens - not the norm. I have also wondered if the photogs were allowed too close - or closer than usual - and that could explain a lot.

When I posted I saw all the other posts since and am heartened - more measured discussion did follow. Thank you for your posts maryr0249.

 

[Tyger]

Apropos smiling or not smiling in photographs - recall how Victorians are considered so dour because they come off so serious in photographs? Well here's one for the living room picture frame on the piano.

http://tinyurl.com/7fdpbe5 (I love the second picture down - clearly mischief is afoot!)


Brought to you by "Victorians Smiling": LINK: Victorians Smiling | Retronaut

Even Queen Victoria: http://tinyurl.com/72pnc3z

 

[maryr0249]

Thanks, Tyger - sometimes I feel a bit peculiar - other times, not so much.

The Victorians smiling are wonderful!

 

[Tyger]

Last bit I'll say on the matter, truth be said - I'm looking for any crack, crevice - anything - that gives me hope. I see daylight in that marriage and I'm on the next plane to London like a shot! Yeah, baby. We'll see who's going to be the next Queen of England. Camilla, my eye. I come on the scene and there'll be no contest.

P.S. I have come to really like Camilla - the public part I see - and I trust she is a great catch for Charles. I wish them only the best - and do not want the haters to win. I agree with your wail, Marg - I even thought my posting the question started bad stuff in the DM. I trust it didn't.

 

[Daria_S]

The first part of your message makes me . This is not said in a mocking manner, so please don't get upset.

 

[MARG]

. . . . . Sometimes, though, I wish Charles would demonstrate to both supporters and detractors that he, at least, is glad he ended up with Camilla, that he is proud of her, and happy to have her at his side. . . . .

I think he called her his "Darling Wife" during this tour....

Exactly!

Last bit I'll say on the matter, truth be said - I'm looking for any crack, crevice - anything - that gives me hope.

Not getting your point here?

. . . . . I agree with your wail, Marge - I even thought my posting the question started bad stuff in the DM. I trust it didn't.

Ah, the subtlety of sarcasm! But never mind, most of us seem focused on the "up" side and a slew of photo's to boot. In point of fact, my post was not about you personally, but if you look back on your posts and feel it fits, then that's OK too.

However, I think it is important to focus on what is actually happening, not extrapolating theories on the condition of the marriage from a snap or two. Or, to coin a phrase you made;

. . . . . But, I do think I saw the '7-year malaise' in the Scandinavian Tour. (Saying this does not make Charles a bad person or Camilla - its just an observation that I am wondering if anyone else sees, too). . . . .

It is speculation at it's worst and that is when we fall into the same gaping hole that is the Mail et al.

 

[COUNTESS]

Look, Charles loves this woman, dumpy, frumpy and bad teeth. And to this end that is admirable. He is in love with his wife, which many royals cannot say, especially from the past, including his father. They are a love match, like it or not.

 

[Baroness of Books]

So true, Countess. In the long run, he's with the woman he loves and she's beautiful in his eyes. They fulfill each other. That's all that matters, and who are we to judge? But Philip has always been in love with HM, or am I misunderstanding your post?

 

[COUNTESS]

This isn't the site, but Philip has loved HM, but not quite the way Charles feels about Camilla. HM has, always adored Philip, but he has had a roving eye for many years, of course not now. She tolerated this and I suspect that is why she never understood Diana. Please, forgive me admins.

 

[Tyger]

The first part of your message makes me . This is not said in a mocking manner, so please don't get upset.

No offense taken. Thank you for recognizing that I was making a joke. Thank you.

And peace to everyone.

 

[Daria_S]

No offense taken. Thank you for recognizing that I was making a joke. Thank you.

Always a pleasure . A sense of humor is a valuable asset to have, and you have a great deal of it I think this thread needed a little lightheartedness, since the discussion was getting a bit heated.

 

[Oliv]

I'm not sure this video was made by a member of TRF or if all of you have seen it before, but it's absolutely fantastic! it's great to watch especially if you think Charles does not make his feelings towards Camilla clear enough. there are many pics I have never seen before vdeo shows how much these two love each other

 

[MissJanet]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWW! That is just lovely.

 

[csw]

It says, "This video contains content from WMG which has blocked it from your country: :-(

 

[maryr0249]

It says, "This video contains content from WMG which has blocked it from your country: :-(

Try these:

charles and camilla : 5th anniversary wedding - YouTube

Love of Prince Charles and Camilla - YouTube

Prince Charles and Camilla - YouTube

 

[maryr0249]

It says, "This video contains content from WMG which has blocked it from your country: :-(

I just realized that on my computer at least, the videos run better and can be magnified more if you search the titles directly in YouTube and look at them that way. There are others there, too.

 

[Grandma828]

These video's really point out the injustice that was done to Charles when he was not allowed to marry Camilla in the first place.

 

[Tyger]

These video's really point out the injustice that was done to Charles when he was not allowed to marry Camilla in the first place.

Hmmm, risking something here: there is a narrative, very much put forth by Charles' first wife, that there was a 'first place'.

Charles never had an opportunity to marry Camilla earlier than he did. Camilla was in love with Andrew Parker-Bowles - who was quite a catch at the time apparently. She married Andrew and had the kind of life she wanted - not royal.

To my mind, Camilla and Andrew became a couple that were close friends to Charles but when the 'in love' happened only Charles and Camilla can say - but I suspect it happened far later and was a function of age and not youth. What we are witness to is far more than 'in love' - it is love of the best kind, a good friendship (as well as anything else it might be).

 

[Grandma828]

The understanding that I had was that she was not considered to be a suitable bride for a future king. I think the attraction was always there, but forbidden by the powers that be. Camilla was not good enough and Charles was encouraged to play the field and not settle down too young. Then she got tired of waiting for him and married Andrew. Of course, I don't have proof of this. It was a long time ago.

 

[Tyger]

I recognize what you say - not sure who was saying it and to whom. Charles had many girls circling him - I'm not sure Camilla was seen as 'serious' at all by anyone at the time. She was involved with Andrew Parker-Bowles - and one can see why - back then he was very dashing, more so than Charles imo. It was Andrew she was keen on marrying it seems - no matter what others may have been saying about her suitability for Charles. When Charles left the picture by going to sea, she was married very quickly.

This is, of course, the crucial point of the Charles/Camilla narrative: have they been 'in love' since day-1 and were cruelly kept apart, or did they discover love with each other after a lifetime with others? I am inclined to favor the latter scenario - given what I know of my own youth and what I was able to recognize or not recognize at an early age.

 

[Oliv]

but wasn't Charles very upset after he found out Camilla got married? I think he wrote a letter to his uncle Dickie saying he had nobody in England waiting for him and that he hoped the emptiness he felt would eventually pass. he must have loved her if he said such things

 

[EIIR]

I'm of the opinion that we will never know what exactly went on; the same can be said of any of the so-called 'experts' who write about it. We can debate it until we're blue in the face, but it won't change the fact that it's 2012, Charles and Camilla are evidently happily married and Camilla is being increasingly accepted and appreciated in her own right.

All that makes me hopeful, not only for C&C, but for the monarchy generally.

 

[Mirabel]

The understanding that I had was that she was not considered to be a suitable bride for a future king. I think the attraction was always there, but forbidden by the powers that be. Camilla was not good enough and Charles was encouraged to play the field and not settle down too young. Then she got tired of waiting for him and married Andrew. Of course, I don't have proof of this. It was a long time ago.

That is what I always thought too.
Charles was supposed to marry a titled virgin (things were stricter back then) and many of the women he knew simply didn't qualify.

But times have changed, and standards changed with them.
Now even divorce, once unthinkable, is acceptable under certain circumstances. (Poor Princess Margaret, born too soon!)

 

[Osipi]

I think back then, the relationship between Charles and Camilla is very much reflected in their relationship now. As often happens with young adults in their 20s, they have an intimate group of friends. Camilla did always have her sights set on Andrew Parker-Bowles and was at the same time very close to Charles. Andrew at this time was also dating Anne. Although there was talk about Camilla perhaps not being "suitable", I don't think it really entered either Charles' or Camilla's mind that they would marry. This is reflected in the relationship between Charles and the Parker-Bowles after their marriage. They were always close friends and I think if we look now, Anne, Andrew and Charles and Camilla still remain on very amicable terms.

It was a long standing intimate friendship with Camilla that Charles treasured so much over the years and who he turned to when he needed someone to be there for him when all else seemed to be falling apart. Its the reason why I think that they are so happy and comfortable with each other now. Sometimes the close bonds of best friends make for the happiest marital relationships. Strife in the marriage? Of course they're going to have their "I don't like you much right now" times... all couples have them but I really think these two have a very solid bond that will stand up to just about anything.

 

[csw]

Try these:

Thank you Mary R!!! That worked.

They are so connected and happy. He seems like a much warmer man these days.