King Charles and Queen Camilla Celebrate 20th Wedding Anniversary During State Visit to Italy

The "Sunday Times" uses the 20th wedding anniversary of King Charles and Queen Camilla for a commentary. The newspaper describes the couple's relationship as complicated and recalls Charles' first marriage to Princess Diana, the failure of that union, Diana's death in a car accident in Paris in 1997, and the ongoing negative public sentiments.

King Charles and Queen Camilla as a Well-Rehearsed Team

It has not been easy, the newspaper comments, which is precisely why the anniversary is now a reason to celebrate. "The couple's nicknames for each other are, as we hear, Fred and Gladys. Old-fashioned perhaps, but quite charming - just like their obvious joy in being together." When you see Charles (76) and Camilla (77), they seem like a well-rehearsed team. When the monarch temporarily stepped back due to his cancer, it was Camilla who continued to represent the royals in public. She is now considered accepted and respected, but for a long time, she suffered from the accusation that she ruined Charles' first marriage. "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded," Diana once said.

"At the time, the idea that this 'malicious woman', this 'marriage wrecker' could one day be queen was more than absurd," explains former BBC correspondent Jennie Bond. Ardent supporters of Diana have never forgiven Camilla, but over time, most reasonable people have understood that Charles and Camilla have a deep and enduring love relationship. By now, Charles and Camilla have been married longer than Charles and Diana were until their divorce. The two have known each other for half a century. They met in 1970 at a polo match, fell in love, but married others. Then followed headlines, scandals, and a new beginning.

Shared Headlines at the Engagement of King Charles and Queen Camilla

The first public appearance is reportedly meticulously planned by British media ("Operation Ritz"). When the engagement was announced in 2005, the headlines were mixed. While the "Times" headlined "After 30 years, Charles puts his house in order," the tabloid "Daily Express" accused the then-heir of dividing the nation and harming the monarchy: "What would Diana say?" Even within his own family, the marriage plans did not only receive positive feedback. Charles' younger son, Prince Harry (40), described in his book that he and his brother Prince William (42) had previously asked their father not to marry Camilla. "Although Willy and I begged him not to do it, Pa wanted to go through with it," Harry wrote in "Spare."

King Charles and Queen Camilla Celebrate 20th Wedding Anniversary on State Visit to Italy

Finally, the couple said "I do" on April 9, 2005, in Windsor. The upcoming wedding anniversary now coincides with the state visit to Italy. The two are expected to visit Rome and Ravenna. Originally, a meeting with Pope Francis (88) was also planned, but it was canceled due to his illness. The 20th wedding anniversary is called the porcelain or thorn wedding. Both have had to clear many thorns out of the way, some have left scratches. Camilla described the time in an interview with "Vogue" magazine as not easy. She had been questioned for so long that she had to find a way to live with it. In the conversation, she also talks about her marriage to Charles. Once a day, they try to meet each other. If they had more time for each other, they would like to read, each in a different corner of the room. That is very relaxing because you know you don't have to have a conversation, Camilla said. "You just sit there and are together."

(APA/Red)

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