Prince Charles And Camilla's Love Story: True But Controversial

Prince Charles-Camilla's Love Journey (Photo: wikimedia commons)

JAKARTA - Today, Saturday, November 14, Prince Charles celebrates his 72nd birthday. Prince Charles is the crown prince who will later become the successor to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II.

Talking about Prince Charles, certainly cannot be separated from the controversial romance drama. Prince Charles and Princess Diana had become a very idolized couple at that time. But the fairy tale ended when the Prince Charles affair scandal surfaced.

Citing Biography, Saturday, November 14, marriage is the first step in the heir to the throne. But the prince cannot marry just anyone to fill the role of queen. The bride and groom had to be of good birth, have a reputation as a virgin and not be Catholic (the latter was a legal requirement at the time). In addition, the prospective successor to the prince must be willing to live within the limits of royal life. Not surprisingly, the hunt for the bride and groom turned out to be difficult for the prince.

Young Prince Charles had a love affair with Camilla Shand in the summer of 1971. They grew closer in 1972, when Camilla's lover, Andrew Parker Bowles, was not in England due to military service.

Charles was reluctant to marry young and set sail for the Royal Navy in January 1973. Camilla was engaged to Andrew Parker Bowles. Prince Charles was disappointed by the news but was unable to stop the marriage. Camilla and Andrew married in July 1973.

Long story short, Camilla's marriage didn't last long. He then returned to love with Prince Charles in 1979. However, Prince Charles at that time was very ready to marry and Camilla did not meet the royal requirements to be his best man. Until finally Prince Charles got to know Lady Diana Spencer, who was 19 years old at the time.

In January 1981, Prince Charles's father, Prince Philip, told him to propose to Diana immediately or let her go for the sake of his reputation. Charles confessed to a friend, "I am sometimes afraid of making promises and then maybe living to regret them. It's just a matter of taking the unusual risk into an unknown state that is sure to bother but I hope it will be the right thing in the end."

When full of doubts, on February 6, 1981, Charles decided to propose to Diana. To her surprise, Diana quickly agreed to marry Charles. The two married on July 29, 1981 and Charles's hunt for a bride was over.

Unfortunately, married life made Charles regret his choice. Issues that have been put aside, such as Diana's youth and the brief time they spent together before marriage, have grown into insurmountable marital problems. Charles and Diana divorced in 1996. A decade later, Charles had a new bride and she was Camilla.

Affair Scandal

Before getting back together, Prince Charles and Camilla had an affair behind Princess Diana. There was a private conversation between Prince Charles and Camilla which was recorded in December 1989. The scandal was called "Camillagate." The contents of the tape are passionate and loving conversations that finally aired in January 1993.

On June 29, 1994, Charles publicly admitted to adultery. In an interview for a documentary, Charles admitted to having committed adultery during his marriage to Diana. Charles explained that he committed the adultery after making sure that his marriage was ruined beyond repair. The prince's secretary confirmed that Charles had committed the adultery with Camilla.

In an interview on a BBC television show conducted without the knowledge of the royal family, Diana discussed her husband's relationship with Camilla. He said, "Yes, there are three of us in this wedding, so it's a bit crowded." Diana also questioned whether Charles was worthy of being a king.