King Charles and Queen Camilla's First Meeting Led to an Instant Connection, Thanks to a Racy Joke

The relationship between King Charles and Queen Camilla saw numerous highs and lows. They first met during a polo match in Windsor Great Park in 1970 and bonded right away over their love for the outdoors. However, they eventually got married to different individuals. While Camilla exchanged wedding vows with Andrew Parker Bowles, Charles went on to marry Princess Diana. In the mean time, their relationship also got strained when Charles left to join the Royal Navy. Nonetheless, the monarch and Camilla remained good friends despite all the changes.

Camilla, the daughter of Army officer Major Bruce Shand and his wife Rosalind, was a true horse enthusiast. She once confessed that much of her childhood was spent galloping around on horseback, as reported by the Mirror. When she first met Charles, Camilla also broke the ice by joking about her great-grandmother's rumored affair with King Edward VII. She apparently told Charles, "My great-grandmother was the mistress of your great-great-grandfather. I feel we have something in common.”

The author of The Duchess: The Untold Story, Penny Junor, also revealed how Charles instantly fell for Camilla. Apparently, the royal cherished Camilla's sense of humor which was similar to his, and the way her eyes lit up when she smiled, according to the author. He also stated, "He also liked that she was so natural and easy and friendly, not in any way overawed by him, not fawning or sycophantic. In short, he was very taken with her, and after that first meeting he began ringing her up."

Though their initial meeting had ignited a spark between them, by the time Charles returned from his eight-month stint in the Royal Navy, Camilla was already engaged to Bowles. As such, in 1973, Camilla got married to Bowles; but their marriage collapsed in 1995. Charles, on the other hand, first met Diana in 1980, got married to her in 1981, and formally ended the relationship in 1992.

However, author Junor claims that Charles and Camilla rekindled their love affair as early as 1978 or 1979. In the new century, however, Camilla and Charles made their official engagement announcement in February 2005. She was made the Duchess of Cornwall, and by 2012, the royal family was starting to accept her. She received the title of Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order from Queen Elizabeth in recognition of this.

In 2022, the Queen declared that when Charles became king, Camilla would take on the title of Queen Consort. When Charles first addressed the nation after becoming the monarch, he said, "I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla. In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage 17 years ago, she becomes my Queen Consort." As reported by People, on May 6, 2023, Charles and Camilla were formally crowned together in a grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Despite the ups and downs that marked the beginning of their relationship, their journey since then appears to have been a steady and unwavering one.