Here’s a look at the life of Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cornwall.
Personal:
Birth date: July 17, 1947
Birth place: London, England
Birth name: Camilla Rosemary Shand
Father: Major Bruce Shand, retired British Army officer, later a wine merchant
Mother: Rosalind Cubitt, daughter of the 3rd Baron of Ashcombe
Marriages:Prince Charles (April 9, 2005-present), Andrew Parker-Bowles (1973-1995, divorced)
Children: with Andrew Parker-Bowles: Laura Rose and Thomas Henry
Other Facts:
Her complete title is: Her Royal Highness The Princess Charles, Princess of Wales and Countess of Chester, Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Rothesay, Countess of Carrick, Baroness of Renfrew, Lady of the Isles, Princess of Scotland
Alice Keppel, mistress of King Edward VII, the great-great-grandfather of Prince Charles, is the great-grandmother of Duchess Camilla.
An avid hunter and rider.
Like her husband, the Duchess is a patron of the arts and many charities.
Timeline:
1965 – Introduced to British society as a debutante.
Early 1970s – Meets Prince Charles at a polo match at Windsor Great Park.
1973 – Marries Andrew Parker-Bowles.
1980 – Accompanies Prince Charles, as his official escort, during trip to recognize Zimbabwe’s independence.
1981 – Prince Charles marries Lady Diana Spencer.
1992 – “Diana: Her True Story” is published, revealing Parker-Bowles’ role in the royal marriage.
1993 – Affair with Prince Charles becomes public when the transcript of a 1989 intimate phone conversation with the Prince is revealed.
1994 – During a televised documentary, Prince Charles admits to adultery.
1995 – During an interview for the BBC, Princess Diana is asked about Camilla: “Do you think Mrs. Parker-Bowles was a factor in the breakdown of your marriage?” She responds, “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”
1996 – Prince Charles and Princess Diana divorce.
1998 – Meets Prince Charles’ sons, William andHarry, for the first time. Is invited to tea by Prince William.
1999 – First appears in public with Prince Charles leaving the Ritz Hotel in London after a party.
2000 – Formally introduced to Queen Elizabeth II at a party held at Highgrove, Prince Charles’ country estate.
2003 – Moves into Clarence House with Prince Charles.
February 10, 2005 – With the Queen’s approval, Prince Charles announces he will marry Camilla April 9 at Windsor Castle. She will be known as Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall.
April 9, 2005 – In a civil ceremony at Guildhall in Windsor with a blessing at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, Charles and Camilla wed.
November 1-8, 2005 – With Prince Charles, makes her first official visit to the United States as the Duchess of Cornwall.
April 27, 2009 – Is presented to Pope Benedict XVIat the Vatican by Prince Charles.
December 9, 2010 – Student demonstrators breach security on the streets of London’s West End and attack the 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI carrying the Duchess and her husband to a performance at the London Palladium. The couple escapes any physical harm. The students are protesting the hike in tuition fees.
April 9, 2012 – Buckingham Palace announces that the Duchess of Cornwall will become a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. This is the highest personal honor bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II and the announcement comes on the seventh anniversary of Camilla’s wedding to Prince Charles.
May 8, 2013 – Attends the opening of Parliament. This is first time the Duchess of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales have attended the opening together.
March 2015 – Visits the United States with Prince Charles. The trip includes a tour of Mount Vernon, a meeting with US President Barack Obama and a festival in Louisville, Kentucky.
