In a surprise move that is making waves in royal circles, Queen Elizabeth and daughter-in-law Camilla Parker Bowles recently stepped out together. The two attended a service at Westminster Abbey to observe 750 years since Edward the Confessor’s original church was rebuilt under the reign of King Henry III.
The Queen and Camilla have known one another for decades, and Camilla and Prince Charles celebrated 14 years of marriage this year. Despite that, the two don't typically attend events without Prince Charles present.
Both women were greeted by the Very Reverend Dr. John Hall, Dean of Westminster, before observing the ceremony. The Queen only recently stepped out alone with the Duchess of Cambridge earlier this year, when she and Kate visited King's College, even though Prince William and Kate have been married since 2011. It's worth noting that Queen Elizabeth and Meghan Markle appear to have bonded quickly, with Meghan joining the Queen on an outing a month after her wedding to Prince Harry.
Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles first met in 1970 at a polo match. The two became fast friends and alleged lovers, though the Queen considered Camilla unfit to be married to Charles. They are pictured here in 1979.
Prince Charles went on to meet Diana Spencer in 1977, when he was dating her older sister. He and Diana became engaged in 1981. The Queen reportedly told Diana that Charles was "hopeless" when Princess Diana approached her mother-in-law for advice about her marriage.
Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth often had a relationship that was hard to classify. Princess Diana often noted that she didn't feel she quite fit in with the monarch and her family. In a letter to a close friend, published by the Daily Telegraph, Diana said, "I do feel extremely isolated more than ever now, as I see what's coming to this country and this family. I feel that you believe in me … and you've no idea what this means to me as I am continuously misunderstood by those around me."
For his part, Prince Charles is said to have continued to engage in his relationship with Camilla throughout his marriage to Princess Diana. Camilla was often a fixture at events that Prince Charles and Princess Diana attended. In this photo, Diana and Camilla both attended the Ludlow Races to watch Charles compete.
Camilla wasn't sitting around waiting for Prince Charles. She married Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973, and they had two children together. Andrew had previously dated Princess Anne, and Prince Charles is even the godfather to Camilla and Andrew's son, Tom.
Though he was often seen photographed with Camilla in the years prior, like this photo from 1979, Prince Charles states in his authorized biography that he officially began an affair with Camilla in 1986. However, Princess Diana waited until 1989 before confronting Camilla about the relationship.
Both marriages broke down between 1995 and 1996. Camilla and Andrew Parker Bowles divorced in 1995, and Princess Diana and Prince Charles's divorce was finalized the following year. In 1997, Prince Charles hosted Camilla's 50th birthday party in his home days before Princess Diana was tragically killed in Paris.
Prince Charles and Camilla waited another two years before moving forward with their relationship. Charles introduced his sons to Camilla in 1998, and the four went on a trip to Greece in 1999. For her part, Queen Elizabeth refused to acknowledge the adulterous relationship, even declining to attend Charles' 50th birthday celebration because Camilla would be attending.
Eventually, Queen Elizabeth relented and attended a birthday party in 2000 knowing Camilla would be present. Her attendance was largely seen as an official seal of approval for the relationship. Charles and Camilla moved into Clarence House in 2003 and announced their engagement in February 2005.
Prince Charles and Camilla were married in April 2005 with their children in attendance. In 2010 the family confirmed that Camilla's title would be Princess Consort when Charles ascends the throne. In 2016, it was announced that Camilla had been named to the Privy Council, a group of the Queen's most trusted advisers.
