In many ways, Queen Camilla has become one of the British Royal Family’s most well-liked members. If one had made that claim a decade or two ago people would have scarce believed it. Today, it’s veritable fact.
A lengthy and frequently contentious journey has been Camilla’s to become queen, not least because she had an affair with King Charles when he was still married to Princess Diana.
Although a lot has changed since then, there are still a lot of undiscovered facts concerning Camilla’s background. Here, we look more closely at her early years and some of the long-hidden old photos from that time.
In modern history it’s become common practice for non-royal individuals to marry into the Royal Family. Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are two recent examples, while the late Princess Diana a slightly older one. Yet it’s another who has arguably caused the most friction…
When Queen Camila was admitted into the Royal Family, many felt deceived and angry. After all, a lot of people believed Camilla to be the mistress of then-Prince Charles, and as such, they didn’t think she belonged in the Firm. However, how did Camilla become a member of the Royal Family in the first place? Let’s examine her past in more detail.
It should be mentioned that Camilla was no typical citizen. Her family tree contains a number of well-known people, including Thomas Cubitt, a well-known builder, and Alice Keppel, the mistress of Edward VII. She was born on July 17, 1947.
The family of Camilla was well-off, with homes in South Kensington and East Essex. The children had to fend for themselves, at least in part, because they belonged to the elite of that century. However, Bruce and Rosalind Shand, Camilla’s parents, were devoted and encouraging.
This was “unusual for their class and era,” The Guardian said. In an interview with Women’s Day, Camilla reflected on her “idyllic” upbringing. “I was quite fortunate to have spent my youth in the country, enjoying beautiful days spent sitting on the South Downs with my siblings, our pets, and our ponies. It was, I believe, a fairly simple childhood,” she remarked.
We used to ride our ponies to school occasionally over the summer. This is probably more Australian than English, but we would ride, tie them up, and then ride back.
Since there was nothing on the roads back then, it only serves to highlight how things have changed. Now, can you picture sending a child to school carrying its bag on its back? It wouldn’t happen, really.
Mark and Annabel, Camilla’s two younger siblings, were raised next to her. Regretfully, Mark d!ed in 2014.
