Author: bang5

Camilla married the then Prince of Wales at a civil ceremony in 2005. Following Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022, Charles was made King, with Camilla taking on the role of Queen Consort

Queen Camilla was said to have one particular complaint when marrying King Charles as she questioned official royal protocol. Camilla, 77, will celebrate her 20th anniversary with Charles while on a royal tour in Italy as the couple’s first major foreign trip will include an audience with the Pope and a visit to the wondrous Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

Their special day on April 9 is, however, a bittersweet moment for the King. After tying the knot with Camilla in 2005, his father, the late Duke of Edinburgh, died on the same day in 2021. Charles and Camilla wed in a civil service before having a church blessing at Windsor Castle.

The pair faced a lot of backlash following their marriage as infidelity rumours swirled following his previous marriage to the late Princess Diana. Now, a new book has revealed one of Camilla’s concerns ahead of their wedding.

Camilla was said to be concerned about royal protocol when marrying Charles ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
An insider revealed in his new book Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants – which has been excerpted in The Times – that Camilla asked her soon-to-be-husband: “Can’t we get away from all this protocol? It’s all bo****ks.”

Charles, who is said to hate swearing, allegedly replied: “You’re doing it [becoming queen] for me, darling.” A Palace staff member was said to have overheard the conversation, telling royal expert Tom Quinn that Camilla “hated the idea of being Queen”.

The couple first met in the 1970s, developing a close friendship. The pair were married to different partners, with Charles wedding Princess Diana in 1981 and Camilla marrying Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973.

Following their divorces – Camilla in 1995 and Charles in 1996 – their relationship gradually became more public. In 2005, they married in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall.

In 2022, following Queen Elizabeth II’s death, Charles ascended to the throne, and Camilla became Queen Consort. Their trip to Italy marks a major turn for the King as he commits to a full work schedule this year while still having weekly cancer treatment.

A royal source said: “The King and Queen are delighted to be heading to Italy to celebrate the ties between our two countries, especially in such an important period for their hosts. The fact their milestone anniversary will fall during the visit is a welcome addition. Although it will be a working day, they are sure to find some time to have a small, private celebration.”

In Rome, the King and Queen will meet Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic church, and visit the Sistine Chapel, famed for its spectacular frescoes by Michelangelo and being the site where the next pope is chosen. Charles’ first meeting with a pope after his 1996 divorce from the late Princess Diana came in 2009, when he, along with Camilla, met Pope Benedict.

The event, which the prince founded for wounded veterans in 2014, is deeply personal to them both and Meghan also wants to support Harry

Prince Harry and Meghan are set to give a public show of strength at the Invictus Games – in what will be their first public outing together since the publication of a distressing Vanity Fair cover.

The couple arrived together at the nine-day event in Canada after travelling from Santa Barbara to Vancouver on a private plane on Friday night local-time. The Invictus Games will begin on Saturday with an opening ceremony featuring live performances by a host of stars, including Katy Perry, Chris Martin and Nelly Furtado, in front of a sold-out audience of 40,000 people at the city’s BC Place stadium, where Harry is also set to make a speech on stage.

Meghan and Harry were reportedly left upset by last month’s report in Vanity Fair, which included speculation, which has been strongly denied, about the state of the couple’s marriage. It also included anonymous allegations about Meghan’s alleged management style towards staff.

Harry seen arriving in Vancouver in the back of a blacked out SUV on Friday evening ( 
Image:
Humphrey Nemar/staff Photographer.)
Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, who have also been hit by unverified allegations in a new book, have made separate public appearances at events in recent months amid claims they want to pursue separate professional endeavours.

Meghan is now set to launch her own Netflix TV show later this month and has other solo projects planned. But it is understood the couple made the decision to appear together at the Invictus Games as it is an event that is deeply personal to them both and Meghan also wanted to support Harry, who founded the event for wounded veterans in 2014.

Harry and Meghan were seen arriving in Vancouver on Friday evening after landing in the city on a private jet that had set off from Santa Barbara, close to their Montecito mansion. Organisers say this year’s event, which comes after previous Games’ were held in London, Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, The Hague and Dusseldorf, will be the biggest ever.

It will be held at eight separate venues in Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistler, which are on the traditional territories of the Four Host First Nations of Lílwat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh.

Invictus 2025 CEO Scott Moore is looking forward to the Games, which are being held in Vancouver and Whistler ( 
Image:
AP)

More than 1,900 volunteers have signed up to help stage the £34million event, which will see up to 550 participants from up to 25 nations compete in eleven sports, including six winter ones for the first time in Invictus Games history. They will include Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding, Biathlon, Cross Country Skiing, Skeleton and Wheelchair Curling, as well as Indoor Rowing, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Rugby.

Chief Executive Officer Scott Moore said: “We will deliver the best ever Invictus Games over the next nine days. These Games will be life-changing. Mr Moore, who has over 40 years of senior management experience in sports broadcast, media and sponsorship sales, added: “I was lucky enough to do eleven Olympic Games in my career.

“People ask me what is the difference between the Olympic Games and the Invictus Games. The Olympic Games changes lives… the Invictus Games saves lives.”