Having watched the coronation of King Charles III and of his queen, Camilla, I was disturbed that people could make mean comments about both the King and his wife.
Because Camilla had been King Charles’ mistress before and after his marriage to Lady Diana Spencer, snide remarks have been made that it just goes to show that one can always ‘hope,’ even if one is a side distraction.
I feel that one should take into account that Charles, being the ‘heir apparent’ needed to marry with the view of continuing the family line. One of the requirements concerning the woman he needed to marry was that she be a virgin so that an ex-lover wouldn’t later pop-up with salacious tales about her. A lot of ink flowed at that time about Lady Diana, who at twenty, was said to be a virgin. She was not necessarily Charles' personal choice, or perhaps only his choice when presented with other less desirable candidates?
We all know how Diana became a favouite of the people. She was lovely-looking, with pleasant, unassuming behaviour, but I feel the twelve years difference in age with Charles, was a handicap. I don’t believe she was educationally on the same level as Charles, although, I do believe he made an effort with her in the beginning.
It has been said that her popularity annoyed Charles.
People felt they could reach out to her and not him. This doesn’t surprise me as his upbringing was dismal with the usual sending away to schools from an early age. A cold childhood was meant to make him tough. I read where he saw his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the queen’s mother, more often than he saw his own mother. I certainly can’t imagine many hugs or kisses shared with him.
It seems that Camilla has been in and out of his life for nearly fifty years.
That means that she knows the same people, happenings and problems surrounding Charles. He doesn’t have to explain things to her. She already knows and is supportive.
I don’t think she has always had her eye to the throne. She married and had two children. Of course, it is a feather in one’s cap to be the friend of a royal family member, but I do believe she and Charles complement each other.
It is possible to go back centuries to find other mistresses throughout Europe who also ended by marrying their King.
John of Gaunt (Ghent), a son of King Edward III, married his mistress, Katherine Swynford after losing his first two wives. One of his and Katherine’s sons gave him a granddaughter who was the mother of King Henry VII (Tudor) who was in his turn father to Henry VIII who had many mistresses.
Besides, why be so critical when people all around us are having extra-marital affairs? Nobody is perfect.
I suspect that it makes critics feel superior when sullying a king’s reputation.