Princess Camilla of Wales is now serving as Queen consort of the United Kingdom as well as 14 other Commonwealth states. The queen consort of Charles III is known as Camila Shand. Her birth name was Camilla Rosemary Shand, although she became known professionally as Parker Bowles later in life.
On July 17, 1947, Princess Camilla of Wales was born. She spent her childhood in both East Sussex and South Kensington, both of which are located in England. She received her education in these three countries: England, Switzerland, and France.
In 1973, she tied the knot with a member of the British Army named Andrew Parker Bowles, and the couple had two children together. In 1995, they divorced each other. Both Camilla and Charles had been married previously when they began a romantic relationship with one another. Their relationship was the subject of intense scrutiny from people all over the world due to the extensive coverage it received in the media.
In 2005, Camilla and Charles exchanged vows in the Windsor Guildhall, and then proceeded to the St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle for a non-Catholic blessing that was broadcast worldwide. Together with her husband, she participated in various public engagements in her role as the Duchess of Cornwall.
In addition to that, she is involved with a great number of different charitable causes and organizations, either as a member or as a sponsor.
Since 1994, Camilla has been working to educate people about osteoporosis, which has resulted in a variety of medals and prizes being bestowed upon her. Literacy, sexual assault, rape, the welfare of animals, and poverty are all topics Princess Camilla is familiar with.
On September 8, 2022, Camilla was formally invested as the Late Queen Elizabeth II’s consort.
10 Quick Facts About Princess Camilla
- Full Name: Camillia Rosemary Shand
- Current Title: Duchess of Edinburgh
- Date Of Birth: July 17, 1947
- Place of Birth: London, United Kingdom
- Former Spouse: Andrew Parker Bowles
- Current Spouse: King Charles III
- Father: Bruce Shand
- Mother: Rosalind Cubitt
- Religion: Christian/Anglican
- Net Worth: $5 million
Princess Camilla’s Early Life & Age
At King’s College Hospital in London on July 17, 1947, Princess Camilla was welcomed into the world.
Camilla spent her childhood in The Laines, a country house built in the 18th century and located in Plumpton, East Sussex.
Major Bruce Shand, a former soldier in the British Army who went on to become a successful businessman, and his wife Rosalind were her parents. Camilla was christened on November 1st, 1947 at Firle Church, which is located in East Sussex.
Her mother held the traditional role of a housewife, while her father, after retiring from the military, pursued a variety of economic interests. She was raised with cats, dogs, and cats throughout her entire youth, and she attended Pony Club camps to learn how to ride ponies and how to saddle a pony. Aside from that, her father, who frequently read to her, was a significant contributor to her development into a voracious reader.
Princess Camilla’s Education & Career
When Camilla was five years old, her parents enrolled her in Drumbrells, a co-educational school located in the village of Ditching. She moved out when she was 10 years old in order to attend Queen’s Gate School in Queen’s Gate, which is located in South Kensington. At the age of sixteen, she went on to study at the Mon Fertile Finishing School in Tolochenaz, which is located in Switzerland. After completing her studies, she came to a conclusion and made a choice. She decided to move to France in order to spend the next six months studying French Literature at the University of London Institute in Paris.
She began her career as a secretary at the West End firms on March 25, 1965, when she was still a young woman living in London.
Later on, she was hired on at the Mayfair office of the interior design company Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler as a receptionist. It has been reported that Camilla was fired.
The Princess also had a passion for painting, which resulted in her going on a private tour about various artists. In addition to that, she became an avid horse rider. Her other passions include fishing and gardening in addition to horticulture.
Princess Camilla’s Relationships & Marriages
In the late 1960s, Camillia Parker Bowles was introduced to her future husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, by his younger brother, Simon Parker Bowles, who was employed at her father’s wine company.
In 1973, The Times published an article that revealed Camillia and Andew’s engagement. The next year, on July 4, 1973, they tied the knot in a Roman Catholic ceremony that took place at the Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks, in London.
Their first child, Tom, who was also King Charles III’s godson, was born on December 18, 1974, and their second child, Laura, was born on January 1, 1978.
There is no evidence that Camilla ever converted to the Roman Catholic faith. She did not abandon her Anglican faith.
After 21 years of marriage, Camilla and her husband separated on March 3, 1995 and filed for divorce.
She began dating Charles after they were introduced. On the occasion of her 60th birthday, she had her very first conversation with Queen Elizabeth II, Charles’s mother.
The encounter served as a formal endorsement of the romantic relationship between Camilla and Charles.
On February 10, 2005, they shared the news that they were engaged. It was questionable whether or not Charles should marry a divorced woman given his position as the next Future Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Despite this, the Queen agreed with the Government’s decision, and the couple was finally able to tie the knot.
After her marriage to Prince Charles, Camilla was elevated to the position of Dutchess of Cornwall, making her the second most senior woman in the Order of Precedence in the United Kingdom, after only Queen Elizabeth II.
On February 14, 2022, the couple had positive results for the coronavirus infection.
Other Things To Know About Princess Camilla
As a result of Princess Camilla’s lifelong love of reading, she is a strong supporter of efforts to improve literacy. She is a pillar of support for the National Literacy Trust as well as for a number of other literacy charities.
Literacy events are something she regularly visits. Since its inception in 2014, she has been a supporter of the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. In addition, Princess Camilla has shown her support for Gyles Brandreth’s Poetry Together initiative, which promotes intergenerational interaction via the reciting of poetry.
In January of 2021, Princess Camilla established the Reading Room Online club as a place for readers, writers, and members of literary groups to communicate with one another and share their projects and ideas.
Princess Camilla is a strong supporter of animal rights and is involved with a number of organizations that work to improve the lives of animals. She serves as president of both the Brooke Hospital for Animals and the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
In 1994, Richard Blackwell’s list of the “Ten Worst-Dressed Women” included Princess Camilla, and her name appeared on the list three more times in a row in the years 1995, 2001, and 2006.
Her sense of style evolved throughout the years, as she experimented with clothes designed by notable fashion designers.
Due to the fact that her husband succeeded Prince Philip as Duke of Edinburgh upon his passing in 2021, she was given the title of Duchess.
What Religion Does Camilla Follow? Is She a Christian, a Muslim, or an Atheist?
Camilla, Princess of Wales, and Charles, Prince of Wales, were united in marriage in the Windsor Guildhall in 2005. Their union was blessed in an Anglican ceremony in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, which was broadcast around the world. This proves she is a Christian.
Currently, What is Princess Camilla’s Net Worth?
According to information from several sources, her net worth exceeds $5 million.