What Is King Charles And Queen Camilla's Secret To Wedded Bliss? An Expert Decodes Their Bond
King Charles and Queen Camilla have enjoyed a strong connection for decades. In his authorized biography of King Charles, Jonathan Dimbleby describes Charles' early reaction to Camilla, writing, per Vanity Fair, "with all the intensity of first love—he lost his heart to her almost at once." While the pair went on to marry other people, Charles and Camilla's relationship continued, first as friends, then a rekindled romance, before marrying on April 8, 2005.
Back in the 1990s, Camilla told Charles that loving him was "easier than falling off a chair." In that same conversation and over the years, Charles has remarked on Camilla's steadfast devotion. In his first speech after becoming king, Charles referenced how much he values her support, saying, "I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla," per the Daily Mail.
Like all couples, it isn't all sunshine and rainbows. In December 2022, a clip surfaced showing Charles' frustration when Camilla was too chatty during a royal appearance. In the high-pressured run-up to the king's coronation, a source divulged to Woman & Home, "Charles and Camilla are testy with each other ... They can't sit and have a meal without arguing, and they're getting very snippy with the staff." However, squabbles aside, Charles and Camilla have weathered years and storms of public opinion together. According to one expert, the secret to their success lies in their joint ability to look for the funny things in life.
Charles and Camilla love to laugh at the same things
Even though they are busy with their royal duties, King Charles and Queen Camilla make time for laughter. "One of the greatest gifts in a long relationship is humor and it is something that Charles and Camilla have shared from the start," Jennie Bond, a journalist and former BBC royal correspondent explained to OK! Magazine UK (via Express). Bond noted that from the early days of their relationship, Camilla "completely understood his wacky, quiet, school boyish sense of humor."
The king and queen often respond to the unexpected with humor. Many times, Charles starts laughing in response to his wife's merriment. During a London appearance in 2022, Charles inadvertently got foam on his nose while drinking a Guinness. After Camilla quietly pointed this out to her husband, they laughed at the silly moment together. The couple also shared a hearty laugh on a 2015 New Zealand trip after the king successfully fended off a bumblebee that flew into his jacket. While attending the 2008 Mey Highland Games, Camilla was struck by the hilarity of the wind wreaking havoc with Charles' kilt. Even amid his wardrobe struggles, Charles laughed at his wife's joyful reaction.
Other times, it's the king whose laughter kicks things off. As he watched dancing elephants and zebras during the 2022 Platinum Jubilee Pageant, Charles reacted to something uproarious. While the king endeavored to explain the humorous scene, both Camilla and Prince William joined in laughing, too.
Charles and Camilla support and encourage each other
Another strength of King Charles and Queen Camilla's marriage is that they make a good team. "They bring out the best in each other," Julian Payne, the king's former communications secretary, informed The Times. "If you are undertaking five or six hundred engagements every year, going into rooms, meeting people, starting conversations, it's actually incredibly helpful to have somebody in there with you that you can sort of bounce off, rely on." In Ireland, when Charles became upset with the familiar problem of a leaky pen, Camilla quickly came to her husband's aid.
If Charles is angry or sad, Camilla is adept at helping him navigate these emotions. "I think it's always one of her great strengths," Jennie Bond told OK! Magazine UK (via Express). "When he is in one of his moods, her approach is very much to just stand back, let him explode and then just carry on smoothly." Bond also noted that Camilla "is probably the one person who would dare to – and can – talk to him when he's feeling cross, and he's unlikely to shout back at her."
When they're busy, Charles and Camilla make time to reconnect. "We always sit down together and have a cup of tea and discuss the day," Camilla commented about her marriage to British Vogue in 2022. Other times, words aren't necessary. "It's very relaxing because you know you don't have to make conversation. You just sit and be together."