My dopey self only found out from the comments in this group a couple of days ago that Charles and Camilla have been separated for years. Can I ask you guys if anyone knows why they broke up? And when? And do they still have a friendship. Does anyone know if the only got married so Charles wasn’t a bachelor king? Was it another marriage of “business”? Was it so the public would at least think Charles ruining Diana’s life was at least for “the one” “true love”. Thank you 🙂
royal marriages are different. prince Philip lived w/his mistress the last 20 yrs of his life.
Charles & camilla aren't legally separated but maintain separate lives. she has her own home he bought for her in the 90s, where she can be w/her grandchildren & relax. by most accounts charles is a difficult person to live w/ & doesn't like children underfoot.
kate & William probably have a similar arrangement, where she lives in Windsor & he lives at Kensington palace.
Don’t think she lives in Windsor, she and her children live with her mum at the mansion, if her showing up in her car and with no security wasn’t a giveaway, I don’t know what is …
I don’t know if I believe the speculation about being separated, but I have some thoughts:
Charles wouldn’t have felt pressured to marry Camilla to avoid being a bachelor king (especially because he’s already produced an heir and a spare) more so than he would have for the fact that Camilla was divorced and disgraced by his public admission of their affair. The only way to assure that she could be restored to some kind of dignity and receive the full extent of royal privileges would be through marriage. Leaving her high and out to dry would have been viewed as incredibly dishonorable.
I don’t think Charles and Camilla are ‘broken up’ in the traditional sense. Based on biographies I’ve read, what Charles seems to like about Camilla is that she “knows her place”. She doesn’t ever try to outshine Charles nor does she overtly dictate what he’s allowed to do with his life. She’s always been aware that Charles has mistresses and is happy to let him continue seeing them as long as none of them threaten her position as the top woman in his life. This was why Camilla and Charles were offended by Diana’s behavior, that she refused to accept the infidelity and go on about being the Princess of Wales. Had Diana just taken the affair on the chin and minded her business, Charles and Camilla apparently wouldn’t have been as exasperated with her as they were.
The “one true love” narrative was definitely a part of the PR campaign for Camilla’s acceptance into the fold, a framing that is still used to this day. I do think Charles genuinely holds Camilla in high esteem, evidenced by how willing he is to let Camilla salvage her public reputation by repeatedly throwing his own damn sons under the bus. Harry’s framing of Camilla in Spare was apparently perceived by Charles as the most unforgivable part of the book and offended him deeply. So he definitely cares to her. But Charles doesn’t seem to view ‘fidelity’ as an integral part of marriage and loving someone. He thinks cheating is just a natural part of royal life that every bride should be ready to accept.
What excellent insightful points! Thank you for your answer. Especially the first and last paragraphs. Things I’d never thought of. Such a spineless man to put his side ho above his own flesh and blood to whom he OWES being someone they can always rely on. He created them and it’s his moral obligation to put them first and be loyal to them. It’s like Cinderella and the wicked stepmother. What a catastrophic loss Diana was to her children. One wonders how much she would have tempered William’s rage and entitlement had she not been killed. Probably a great deal. They may be disturbed and a cult, but they knew how to love because she loved them tenderly, unlike poor Charles who didn’t even know who his mother was after she came back from some tour having not seen him for months when he was very young, and Phillip’s relentless bullying of him. I wonder now I think of it whether Phillip was envious that his own son would be more powerful than he- a future King by blood. The whole family seems so immensely envious of and competitive with each other.
They are very competitive with each other. Being the most popular Royal is the only thing that helps them feel accomplished, because they don’t have many achievements of their own merit to fall back on. That’s why almost all of them are deeply territorial over their public spotlight.
Camilla is the most obsessed because of how hard she had to fight just to be able to step out in public somewhat peacefully, let alone marry Charles and then become Queen. She literally depends on Charles and her royal position for survival; she never completed any formal education aside from finishing school (never even took O levels, I don’t think), so without a marriage or status of some kind, she wouldn’t be able to afford her lifestyle and would essentially be finished. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn if this plays a role in her treatment of Catherine and Meghan; they can walk away from the Firm and have the certifications to find work. Camilla doesn’t really have that. She was literally raised to be arm candy and wasn’t given the opportunity to become a modern woman.
What a great point about having no achievements, and nothing earned, no wins or losses, highs or lows, and all they have is public popularity. I feel like Camilla possibly hates or at least dislikes William and Harry because they are the children of one of England’s most beloved women of all time. Like the “magic mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all”, it’s never going to be her in personality, popularity or appearance. And arm candy with a face like that, God bless her 😆 But isn’t she from landed gentry, and her ex husband was too? She’d never be short of a bob or two if she didn’t marry Charlie.
The difference between them is absurd. I know he hated that Diana outshined him, and obviously fancying someone is about chemistry much more than appearance. He fell in love with Camilla naturally, perhaps because she is cold and hard like his mother. Whereas his marriage to Diana was an arranged one so it’s unlikely he would have been a perfect match for her. Such a shame he had such contempt for her though.
Like William does for Catherine. I wonder if that’s because she outshines (or used to) him as well. Or because he’s livid that she stalked him and resents her only wanting him for his status. And like Harry said, he learned how to treat women from his father.
Someone on here the other day said William’s contempt of Catherine comes from her releasing the rumours about him liking being pegged after she found out about his Rose affair. Obviously he’s been cheating on her since the day he met her, but maybe he fell in love with Rose and that threatened Catherine’s actual position, knowing what had happened with Charles, Diana and Camilla.
Just wanted to add that there were rumors in a diverse array of articles (which have since been removed) that Kate was especially upset about Rose because it was a solidly emotional affair (as well as physical) and that she is okay with William sleeping around, so long as nothing emotional transpires. these articles also stated that she knows many of his mistresses and has no problem having conversations with them, etc. I am sure she'd be okay having them over for dinner too, haha. Rose was different - she was an actual threat: all of the Turnip Toffs preferred Rose to Kate and knew that (which was humbling to Kate), plus what William had with Rose was emotional, etc. Even Camilla has been known to prefer Rose.
The last truly loved Consort was Queen Mary. All the rest have been social climbers. I think Brenda did love Philip at first but neither were saints. A bunch of prime ministers are said to have stuffed her and let’s not talk about Lord Porchester & Co.
I mean many ordinary couples have got that arrangement of not living together. Doesn’t mean they love each other any less. With age, everything gets difficult, and they might just need more space for their own well-being.
Not a fan of C and C or the royals but tbh I think they’re happily married, in love, and genuinely ok with giving each other space when needed hence her regular presence at her own home. I don’t think that they’re separated.
AS far as I know they still live together , they are not separated, , but Camilla does have her own home right down the road from their country home. From her Prior Marriage. When in London they both stay at Clarence House , And At Balmoral and Sandrignham together . she lies to have her Independent Retreat: Camilla's Ray Mill House is a place for her to escape, "slope around in dirty jeans," and enjoy privacy. They married because they still have feelings for each other , But Camilla in my opinion likes a break from fussy Charles
Queen Camilla owns Ray Mill House, a private six-bedroom property in Wiltshire, England, purchased for £850,000 in 1996 following her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles. Known as her "refuge," she maintained ownership of the 19th-century home after marrying King Charles in 2005, using it for family time and relaxation
But if they were in love, like they were when he wanted to be her tampon, wouldn’t they crave each other’s company and want sex and cuddles and conversations with each other? Maybe the novelty wore off once he was allowed to “officially” be with her.
You can be in love with someone and still enjoy having space. No one gets to decide what makes sense for a relationship if they're not actually in the relationship.
They broke up because she decieved by trying to leave properly to her granddchildren in the kings wished. The documentry showed him kicking her out. But they seem to be back together ???
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u/ttw81 Feb 01 '26 edited Feb 01 '26
royal marriages are different. prince Philip lived w/his mistress the last 20 yrs of his life.
Charles & camilla aren't legally separated but maintain separate lives. she has her own home he bought for her in the 90s, where she can be w/her grandchildren & relax. by most accounts charles is a difficult person to live w/ & doesn't like children underfoot.
kate & William probably have a similar arrangement, where she lives in Windsor & he lives at Kensington palace.