To have warmed to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall

[octonaught]

I am old enough to remember the Diana years really clearly, including Charles & Diana’s wedding.
At the time I thought Camilla was awful “there were 3 of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded” said Diana, the media minx.
All 3 players, Diana, Charles & Camilla were victims of the protocols of the time, ie the future Queen needed to basically be a Virgin, & Charles & Diana basically had an arranged marriage, which just didn’t work out, but due to their position they weren’t allowed to quietly go their separate ways.
Charles & Camilla have —officially— been together over 20 years. Camilla has kept her head down & they look like a very happy couple.

I don’t know about the political ramifications of Camilla being queen or not. But as a person, she seems ok.

William is basically a Middleton now and it was not long ago Charles expressed his sadness and not having much contact with his grandchildren.
No one in their right mind would like to raise their little children around Camilla if you have the option to raise them around Carol Middleton.

FrancisCrawford Sun 04-Feb-18 15:35:50 - catholic wedding - probably not recognised by the CofE, but to openly say so would declare her children bastards!

The Church of England acknowledges Catholic marriages. And Church of Scotland weddings. And a whole heap more.

You took my post out of context and edited it - Camilla is Cof E, APB is a Catholic, it was a Catholic wedding. Neither Cof E nor Catholic recognise interfaith marriages - why do you think Meghan now has to convert? There is no other reason - the Succession has been amended to include Catholics so Prince Michael and his children are reinstated.

I've met many of the royals over the years connected with work and a friend is close friends with Zara Tindall.

I didn't like Diana. I'm afraid she always felt fake to me. Camilla, on the other hand, I found a total delight and genuine.

The PP who said Diana’s father Earl Spencer’s should take some of the blame is right. HE knew the score but still got her to go ahead didn’t he?

Love my arse - they’d hardly met!

My dd is the same age as Diana was - I would never ever let her marry in those circumstances and I come from a long line of arranged marriages- myself included!

Charles may well have had guidelines for whom he could marry. However, I am sure that it was no accident that he chose a stunningly attractive candidate. From what Diana said he was very enthusiastic in the bedroom at first. And Diana may have been "thick" but she had the charisma of Marilyn Monroe, and enough nouse to turn that against him. I remember watching her shaking hands with HIV sufferers and being shocked. When I saw her son Harry casually sucking on the fingers of an African HIV orphan on his hip I wasn't shocked. That's her legacy....she did a huge amount of good and was a genuine star. As for Camilla we all know her marriage created a vacancy. She can hardly complain after supporting Charles on " I refuse to be the first prince of Wales without a mistress". Anyone spotted any likely candidates ? I would look at the 30- 42 age range given he is only 70ish.

Also, where is Charles Spencer after his attention seeking speech at Dianas funeral? He can barely look after his own children, never mind have a say in the lives of William and Harry. The aristocracy, including the Spencers are a bunch of self serving and self interested families all desperate to keep their status at all costs, even over the welfare of their children. They are all intertwined with each other. Shagging the future king has been the done thing since the Tudor times.

It's all this idea that people can't get out of stuff because "plans have gone too far" or whatever.

What bollocks!

Diana had second thoughts but "she was on the teatowel"

Edward & Mrs Simpson-she had to marry him after he abdicated??

She should have got out well before then.

This idea that events overtake them & they no longer have a say.

They are adults!

That's not how monarchy works. You don’t get to pick the next one as part of a popularity contest, you get the next in line regardless of how crazy/old/right wing/adulterous/ill/interested they are. The second the queen breathes her last, Charles is king

I'm not suggesting it's a popularity contest. Charles could choose not to have a coronation, but instead use the title of the Duke of Cornwall and let the crown pass to William. I think his ego is too huge to do that, though.

I'm still waiting for my title. I'd like to be a Duchess. Or at least a Lady.

I agree with pps that the upper classes don’t expect their spouses to be faithful. It’s an over simplistic stereotype but there you go. After thousands of years of marrying for titles etc these things are fairly well ingrained. Also Charles was sleeping with every woman he could get his hands on before he got married and the queen was desperate for him to be more respectable.

I can’t believe that Diana really thought they were in love, but I think she expected a few years of loyalty, especially as she was far too good looking for him

No I'll never 'warm' to this Vile Slapper of a woman....

Also I think waiting to get married was a good idea for William and Kate. Not sure if they are/will be faithful but she knew exactly what she was getting into. Still feel a bit sorry for her and Meghan though.

@badabing36 I don't. My only regret is not having St Andrews as part of my UCAS choices when I had the chance

Actually, the comment about Charles being enthusiastic in the bedroom at first is false. She said she was exhausted all the time on her honeymoon 'for all the wrong reasons'. She hinted quite strongly that he wasn't much interested. Apparently 'only required it once every 3 weeks or so' ! on all fronts it sounds like an absolutely miserable marriage. Once Harry was born he lost all interest, presumably because he'd got the heir and spare by then, so felt he was off the hook. I think she was disgracefully let down on all fronts. She did become manipulative later in life, but it was survival. No one was on her side and she was trying to play a different game by then.

I'm not suggesting it's a popularity contest. Charles could choose not to have a coronation, but instead use the title of the Duke of Cornwall and let the crown pass to William. I think his ego is too huge to do that, though.

He couldn't abdicate the crown and be Duke of Cornwall. When/If William takes the crown then George will automatically be Duke of Cornwall as that title can only be held by the eldest son of the monarch who is also heir apparant.

@VienneseFingers A King can only be the son of a monarch, not the husband of one.

Phillip isn't King as Elizabeth is the monarch; if he was King he would be above her in title (think of playing cards)

Queen Victoria was married to Prince Albert; same situation again.

@raisedbyguineapigs you're quite right that a new Act of Parliament could snuff out any legal challenge to Charles becoming king, but I just wonder if a possible legal scrabble to enable what he wanted would be a suitable start to a reign?

Since monarchs have become figureheads rather than actually ruling, shouldn't we expect at least some dignity in how they present themselves, especially from an heir who's so keen on lecturing everyone else about how things should be done? Should Charles really get to invoke traditional and even divine rights when it suits, then snatch at the more modern ways he professes to loathe if those suit better - and isn't this hypocrisy exactly why the monarchy is becoming at best distatsteful to some of us?

I agree with you about Charles Spencer's convenient "disappearing act" though - but then, there seems to be a streak of cruelty running through that family, as seen with the hideous way the late Earl Spencer treated Frances during their divorce

Not sure if they are/will be faithful but (Kate) knew exactly what she was getting into. Still feel a bit sorry for her and Meghan though

I agree, but in the case of Meghan - a mature woman with a lucrative career, a lot of experience and one very short marriage already behind her - I doubt she'll hang around for long when the weight of expectations descends on her

They've known each other barely any time at all and when the whatsit hits the fan, as it does in many marriages, I wonder how great the lure will be of becoming - at least for a while - a very bankable star

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder etc but I nevrr thought Diana was stunningly attractive , I thought she was fairly attractive and she was styled well had access to the best clothes and make up ext but not stunning .

I dont think meghan will fit at all and cannot see it lasting. Although i like her. Pretty, clever. But not royal.
Kate is pure class and queen material. Very similar to diana in some ways, warmth, caring. William very lucky.

I found Diana interviews uneasy watching because I sensed that she was trying to manipulate the media for sympathy in a calculated way. She sorted of almost acted it out, the martyrdom, and you see it in her face - the surface emotions she wanted to project and then something beneath the surface, not sly exactly but not as innocent as she would have liked us all to believe. Just my humble opinion though.

Couldn’t agree more Dusty. she certainly wasn’t the innocent that she portrayed herself to be. IMHO

Meghan won’t really have to fit in in any major way though. The Royal duties of Royals who are not in direct line to the throne, which Harry very much is not anymore, is being scaled back. Whether Meghan and Harry’s marriage lasts, well I think they have the same odds as anybody else. Perhaps slightly higher odds on lasting because there won’t be things like money worries to factor in.

Oh goodness, can’t we like all of them?! Or do we have to take sides?

Diana was obviously manipulated for her youth and beauty. Camilla and Charles were awful to her but driven by love for each other and unfairly bound by stupid religious royal protocols.

Meghan is great. Kate is great. Let’s hope they support each other in the years to come.

x2boys agree that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however, irl Diana was absolutely stunning- much much more beautiful than in photographs. I was in close up to her in private and in public on two or three occasions and she was like a supermodel. She was very very tall (the papers always said 5ft 10 but I reckon she was 6ft), very athletic body (this was post her bulimia days), hair and skin perfect.

IMO she didn’t photograph particularly well.