Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla’s secret to 14-year marriage revealed in new royal doc
14 years strong. A documentary takes a look at Duchess Camilla and her love with Prince Charles.
One documentary is aiming to shed new light on the wife of the future king of England.
True Royalty TV is launching a special on Aug. 1 titled “The Real Camilla,” which aims to give an intimate look at Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, as well as insight into her enduring love and partnership with Prince Charles. The film follows the 72-year-old for a year as she embarks on official tours, as well as chronicles her private downtime in Scotland. In addition, “The Real Camilla” also features interviews with those closest to her, including her nephew Ben Elliot.
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“She’s never done anything like this before,” producer Juliet Rice told Fox News. “We persuaded her and thought it was a good thing for the public to see what she’s really like. She was rather an enigma. And I think she was greatly pleased by the film actually. It shows her to be this incredibly decent human being. She’s never been able to show that before. So I think it was a great experience for her, too.”
Britain's Prince Charles poses for an official portrait on Sept. 5, 2018, to mark his 70th birthday with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in London, England. (Chris Jackson/Pool Photo)
Rice also shared the documentary will explore Camilla’s decades-long romance to Charles, 70, which started nearly 50 years ago. And even though the couple has been married for 14 years, their relationship has also been the subject of tabloids over the years.
As the years go on, she’s becoming a great matriarch of the royal family… I think she has become a great support system for the younger royals.
The couple first met sometime in the ‘70s. Sources have claimed the pair were either introduced through a mutual friend at a party or that they first met at a polo match, The Telegraph previously reported. And while Charles allegedly fell head over heels, he wasn't ready to give up his bachelorhood.
Camilla moved on and married cavalry officer Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973, only to part ways in 1995. The former couple share two children, Tom and Laura.
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Prince Charles chats to Camilla Parker-Bowles at a polo match. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
Charles married Princess Diana in a televised wedding that attracted about 750 million viewers worldwide in 1981. They welcomed Prince William in 1982 and then Prince Harry in 1984.
However, Diana had long suspected Charles kept an ongoing affair with his ex-girlfriend. Diana and Charles would ultimately called it quits after their marital woes became public and their divorce was finalized in 1996. Diana died a year later at age 36 after a car crash in Paris. Charles married Camilla in 2005.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
“There’s been this historical misconception about Camilla because of the circumstances surrounding Prince Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana,” Rice explained. “There’s a lot of misconceptions about what really went on there… And throughout all that coverage, the ‘80s and beyond, she’s never said a word. We didn’t talk to her about that, but it was nice to see her as a human, a relatively normal human being… As the years go on, she’s becoming a great matriarch of the royal family… I think she has become a great support system for the younger royals.”
Rice also insisted that William, 37, and Harry, 34, have a positive, loving relationship with their stepmother.
Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles are pictured on their wedding with all of their children (L-R) Prince Harry, Prince William, Laura and Tom Parker Bowles, in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, April 10, 2005. (Reuters)
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“We talked to [actress] Joanna Lumley who’s a real national treasure in the U.K.,” said Rice. “She’s known Camilla. She’s said that she’s seen all of this horrible press, all of this drama [about Camilla]. But what gives her a sense of calm is that she knows the boys actually get on really well with her. William and Harry adore her. And her children get on extremely well with William and Harry.”
Rice admitted they didn’t know what to expect from Camilla when filming occurred, which also turned out to be around the 20th anniversary of Diana’s passing. However, the duchess chose to focus on her royal duties and show cameras her involvement with the monarchy.
“It’s absolutely astounding what happened in the British press and the global press during those weeks,” said Rice. “You felt this bubbling of resentment… But she’s always going to have to contend with that. I think she just keeps her head down and works really hard. And I think people respect that. And also, I think the British and global public have seen she’s done a good job as a royal. She’s a solid and stable person within the royal family. But she was vilified for a very long time in the U.K.”
Camilla Parker Bowles in 1995. (Reuters)
Rice said one of the film’s highlights is how Camilla and Charles candidly interacted with each other despite cameras rolling. In one scene, the couple happily danced at a party to celebrate her birthday.
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“You can just tell with the body language that they were having a real giggle and were totally at one with each other,” she said. “It’s moments like that when you could just see the love.”
And what’s the secret behind the royal couple’s lasting romance? Rice said the answer is surprisingly simple.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall is sung "Happy Birthday" by Prince Charles, Prince of Wales on July 17, 2019, in Simonsbath, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
“She’s an incredibly good listener,” said Rice. “She and Prince Charles support each other brilliantly. Even during public appearances, they have a real synergy together. It’s rather lovely to see. And they have a real laugh together. It’s quite something, doing the job that they do. And they do it brilliantly together. They’re a really strong double act.”
“She’s also very discreet,” continued Rice. “Everyone in the film said she’s absolutely his rock. She’s also very down-to-earth. She’s a real British countrywoman. She loves her dogs, she loves her horses, she likes her gardening and she’s incredibly relatable for that reason. She’s not grand in any way. And she’s also a real giggle. She and Charles have great fun together, which is one of the best ingredients for a good marriage.”
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Rice said she hopes audiences will discover a new side to the future queen consort who is determined to help the younger royals navigate their duties, all while be hands-on with charity work.
Right to left: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, with her mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II. (Reuters)
“Someone in the film said they remember seeing her in her first public engagement where she had to do a speech,” said Rice. “She was so nervous and terrified. You see her now and she absolutely commands the room. She’s grown into her role. And there is this extraordinary love story between Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall — an enduring one… It feels like another era now.”
"The Real Camilla" premieres August 1 on True Royalty TV.
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