Why did Charles and Camilla wait so long to get married?

Charles and Camilla got married on April 9, 2005, in a civil ceremony, which was later followed up by a prayer service conducted by the Church of England.

Although Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh didn’t attend the civil ceremony, they were present for church service afterwards.

The pair had a lengthy love affair after first meeting in 1970 and dating before it all came to an end.

Camilla went on to marry Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973 and have a son and a daughter, which left Charles heartbroken as he served in the Navy.

Despite Camilla now being married, she and Charles reportedly began having an affair around 1978 or 1979 with her husband Andrew already thought to be cheating her. He was also said to have been fully aware of Camilla and Charles’ relationship.

However, Charles felt growing pressure to marry and started dating a young Diana Spencer in 1980.

During this time, Charles and Camilla are said to have remained close.

Charles would tie the knot in a fairytale but fateful marriage to Diana in 1981, which Camilla and her son Tom Parker Bowles attended.

Diana and Charles welcomed their sons Princes William and Harry but their marriage was in trouble.

Charles and Camilla reportedly began seeing each other again in 1986, according to Andrew Morton’s book Diana: Her True Story with the Princess of Wales even confronting her over it.

In 1992, Charles and Diana separated while Camilla and Andrew finally got divorced in 1995.

Prior to this, Camilla and Charles had been at pains not to be seen together in public.

The death of Diana in 1997 would mean their romance would face pressure and they would wait eight years before getting married.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Express, royal expert Marlene Koenig said: “There was the plan that William had come and asked her to help organise Charles’ 50th birthday, which would have been 1998 but mum had died, so I think they just put that on hold.

“The idea was that she would be introduced as his [partner] – because everybody knew – they waited until a year-and-a-half later.

“That’s when they went to her sister’s birthday part at The Ritz and they didn’t go in together but they came out together and that was the first time they were photographed together as a couple after Diana’s death – and they waited because you do.”

Koenig continued: “It was a difficult situation but she earned her spurs. She took her time.”

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