 |
 Being the "other woman" is a position that rarely garners much sympathy and, in the story of Prince Charles and Camilla, even less so. (WENN.com) |
Love them or loathe them, fascination reigns with the mere mention of the Royal Family.
Their lavish, upper-crust existence captures our attention, snapping up international news headlines and serving as the subject of heated debate for its relevance in modern society.
Often rife with the kind of high-style drama more befitting a tragic Shakespearean play than anything remotely resembling real life, the monarchy carries with it the richness of mystique and, try as we might, we can't seem to look away.
For the first time as a married couple, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, have arrived in Canada for a 12-city visit, which ends Nov. 11 when they attend at a National Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.
While a poll conducted by Navigator released last week shows general apathy among Canadians in regards to Prince Charles, with 47% disagreeing that the prince has a vision for the future, seeing the pair -- who first met at a polo match in 1970 -- together as husband and wife on Canadian soil, could be the main draw.
The couple's affair reportedly began when the then Camilla Shand flippantly said to Charles, "My great-grandmother was your great-great-grandfather's mistress, so how about it?"
|
Their romance was short-lived, however, ending when Charles was called upon to serve in the navy in 1971.
Even so, the roots of a complicated union had already been laid down, long preceding the prince's 1981 marriage to Lady Diana Spencer, and one that eventually tarnished the fairy-tale exterior of his relationship with the young, beautiful and painfully shy bride.
One might speculate that the prince's heart had always been elsewhere.
Seems by 1989, and possibly several years earlier, Camilla was back inside the prince's intimate fold. That's when transcripts of private, pillow-talk conversations were revealed in the tabloids, ultimately inspiring "Camillagate" headlines.
After a tumultuous union, Charles and Diana announced their separation in 1992.
Diana reportedly described Camilla as "the Rottweiler," while Camilla is said to have referred to the princess as "that ridiculous creature."
In 1994, Charles came clean, admitting in a TV documentary that he'd been unfaithful in his marriage after his relationship with Diana was "irretrievably broken down, us both having tried."
Many observers concluded that Camilla was the mistress in question and in 1995 during a TV interview, Diana revealed: "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."
When the tragic news of Lady Diana's death in horrific in a car crash spread around the world in 1997, millions were devastated. Folks following the soap-opera-like saga of Charles and Diana had long taken sides and, even early on, it was clear that the "People's Princess" had won the public's affection.
Then there was Camilla. In the narrative playing out, there was no way around it -- she'd be cast as the villain.
Being the "other woman" is a position that rarely garners much sympathy and, in this story, even less so.
Following Diana's death, outraged shoppers at a local grocery store viciously tossed bread rolls at Camilla. Thankfully, the passage of time has softened the hearts of the masses. Of course, the relationship between the prince and Camilla has proved lasting. Their stalled romance finally realized, one that holds all the ingredients of remarkable love story, in which the two people that are meant to be together finally get their chance.
In 2005, (more than three decades after their initial encounter) Charles and Camilla married.
As an institution, Canadians may indeed be disenchanted with the monarchy, but you can bet that as Camilla and Charles make their way across the country, their every step will be recorded.
In a statement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said their visit will allow us "to learn more about the heritage and traditions of which we are all proud," and while that may be true, what might speak to us more is something of a far more complicated nature -- matters of the heart.
The enduring romance between Charles and Camilla is perhaps so irresistible because it has defied all expectations and, in the rarest twist of all, suggests that the "other woman" might've been "The One" all along.
---
THE ROYAL TIMELINE
1970: Camilla and Prince Charles first meet
1971: The relationship ends when Charles leaves to serve with the British Navy
1973: Camilla marries Andrew Parker Bowles. Charles reportedly writes to a friend, "I suppose the feeling of emptiness will pass eventually."
1981: Charles and Lady Diana Spencer marry
1982: Princess Diana and Charles have their first son, Prince William. Two years later, Prince Harry is born
1992: Tabloids print transcripts of phone conversations between the prince and Camilla, believed to have been recorded in 1989
1992: Charles and Diana announce that they're separating
1995: Camilla and Andrew Parker Bowles divorce. Charles and Diana divorce the next year
1997: Charles holds a birthday party for Camilla Parker Bowles' 50th birthday
1997: Princess Diana is killed in car crash
2000: The Queen acknowledges Charles' relationship with Camilla
2001: Charles and Camilla kiss publicly for the first time
2005: Charles announces his plans to wed Camilla. The couple is married in April of the same year