Revisiting the Affair Scandal of King Charles III with Queen Camilla During Princess Diana's Divorce

Revisiting King Charles III Affair and Cheating Scandal

Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles wed, Circa 2005 Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s royal relationship began with a well-known cheating scandal. Despite being friends for a long time and even having a brief teenage romance, they both ended up marrying other people. Charles married Princess Diana in 1981, almost eight years after Camilla tied the knot with Andrew Parker Bowles.

Charles and Camilla maintained a friendly relationship while married to other people, both having children from their respective marriages. Charles had sons Prince William and Prince Harry with Diana, while Camilla shares a son named Tom and a daughter named Laura with Parker Bowles.

Their friendship eventually turned romantic before they got divorced. Rumors of an affair began circulating in 1986, seven years prior to the release of a phone call transcript from 1989 between Charles and Camilla. During the call, there were suggestive comments made, including Charles expressing a desire to "live inside [Camilla's] trousers" and joking about coming back as a tampon. This incident became known as Camillagate or Tampongate.

Charles confessed to being unfaithful during a TV interview in 1994. When asked if he had cheated, Charles admitted, "Yes." He explained that it was only after realizing that the marriage was beyond repair.

Revisiting King Charles III Affair and Cheating Scandal

Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles Reveal Her Engagement Ring, Circa 1981 Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

Charles refused to mention Camilla during that time, despite rumors that she was the one he had an affair with. The interview occurred during Charles and Diana's separation, which was made public in 1992. In response, Diana also spoke out in her own surprising interview.

In a 1995 interview with BBC's Panorama, Diana famously remarked, "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded," when discussing the impact of Camilla on her relationship with Charles.

She also shared details about how the royal family reportedly dealt with her separation.

Everyone was feeling anxious as they could see there were issues, but they didn't want to interfere. They made it clear that they were there if needed, as shared by the late Princess of Wales. She explained how she and Charles were living separately, with separate apartments on the same floor during their trips abroad. This caused complications when it was leaked to the press, but their duty was their top priority.

After living apart for four years, Charles and Diana officially filed for divorce, which was finalized in 1996. They remained dedicated to coparenting their sons, William and Harry, until Diana's sudden passing the following year. Tragically, Diana and her then-partner Dodi Al-Fayed lost their lives in a car crash in Paris in August 1997. At the time of her death, Diana was 36 years old.

Charles and Camilla ultimately wed in April 2005 in a civil ceremony. They were crowned king and queen in May 2023 after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, the year prior.

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