They met in 1971 but only married in 2005. The love story of Charles, Prince of Wales—Princess Diana's widower—and Camilla Parker Bowles has several twists and turns worthy of a movie!

With the new season of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/20/arts/television/the-crown-uk-season-4.html">The Crown</a>&nbsp;on Netflix&mdash;in which a doe-eyed <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/the-crown-season-four-fashion-princess-diana">Emma Corrin</a>&nbsp;plays <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/princess-diana-style">Princess Diana</a>&mdash;the world is once again re-intrigued by the love affair between Charles, Prince of Wales (Diana's widower) and <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a34659279/princess-diana-camilla-parker-bowles-relationship/">Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.</a> While the latter two knew each other throughout their lives their&nbsp;relationship is largely rooted in scandal and mystery. In fact, in her lifetime, Diana commented that Camilla was the "<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop%20culture/princess-diana-brother-rare-photo-charles-spencer-controversy">third person</a>" in her marriage between her and Charles, and was the impetus for her infamous <a href="https://www.rd.com/article/story-princess-dianas-revenge-dress/">revenge dress</a>. With <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/politics-culture/queen-elizabeth-young-photos-wedding-coronation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queen Elizabeth's</a> recent passing, Prince Charles and Camilla will soon be crowned King and the Queen Consort. Here is a look at the history between Charles and Camilla's relationship&nbsp;before and after their marriage in 2005.

There are several reports about the couple&#39;s first meeting. While the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-46150569">BBC</a> claims that Charles and Camilla met at a polo match at Windsor Great Park in 1970, People says that the couple met at a party in 1972.

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-scandal-royals-2.jpg

1971: Charles joins&nbsp;the Royal Navy

Although he and Camilla were in a <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/taylor-swift-joe-alwyn-relationship-timeline-dating">relationship</a>, it apparently fell apart when the prince left for&nbsp;duty.

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-scandal-royals-3.jpg

1973: Camilla marries Andrew Parker Bowles

The current Duchess and her first husband, Andrew, met at a party in 1965, according to the book The Duchess: Camilla Parker Bowles and the love affair that shook the crown, written by Penny Junor. The royal <a href="http://dianalegacy.com/painful-prince-charles-shocked-by-camilla-decision/camilla-married-andrew-parker-bowles-on-july-4-1973-photo-c-getty/">ceremony</a> took place on July 4, 1973.

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-scandal-royals-4.jpg

The truth is that when <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/a-timeline-of-prince-charles-and-princess-dianas-tumultuous-tragic-relationship">Diana and Charles</a>&nbsp;first met, he was dating her sister, <a href="https://www.womanandhome.com/life/did-princess-dianas-sister-sarah-spencer-date-prince-charles-before-her/">Lady Sarah</a>. At the time, Diana was just 16 years old.

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-scandal-royals-5.jpg

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-scandal-royals-6.jpg

1981: Charles and Diana get married

The couple's <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/unique-celebrity-engagement-rings-ariana-grade-jennifer-lopez">engagement </a>took place on <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/24/newsid_2516000/2516759.stm">February 24, 1981</a> and the <a href="https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/g34689838/princess-diana-prince-charles-1981-wedding-photos/">wedding</a> took place on July 29 of the same year.

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-scandal-royals-7.jpg

1986: Charles and Camilla get back together

While both were married, that&nbsp;did not stop the couple's&nbsp;relationship from returning. In an <a href="https://granthshala.com/the-disastrous-news-prince-charles-gave-diana-the-night-before-her-wedding-which-almost-left-her/">interview</a> with BBC One's Panorama in 1995, Diana said "there were three of us at this <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/chanel-most-iconic-wedding-dresses-wedding-season">wedding</a>, so it was a little crowded."

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-scandal-royals-8.jpg

1993: Private conversations between&nbsp;Camilla and Charles leak

Earlier in the year,&nbsp;talks between the two leaked and confirmed Charles and Camilla's <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/jackie-kennedy-secret-love-story-new-movie">hidden relationship</a>. This, of course, caused a big scandal for the royal family, in addition to leading to the end of both marriages. Camilla filed for <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/11/world/other-woman-in-royal-affair-plans-divorce.html">divorce</a> in 1995 and Diana and Charles completed their <a href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1996-02-29-1996060006-story.html">divorce</a> in 1996.

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-scandal-royals-9.jpg

The eternal Lady Diana died in a tragic&nbsp;traffic accident in Paris on August 31, 1997. Along with her, her then partner, Dodi Fayed, and driver Henri Paul&nbsp;also died. The <a href="https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a29874597/princess-diana-death/">accident</a> shocked the world.

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-scandal-royals-10.jpg

1999: Camilla and Charles are photographed for the first time as a couple

The two <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/operation-ritz-anniversary-20-years-since-prince-charles-camilla-went-public-133740713.html">were seen leaving the Ritz</a>&nbsp;on January 28, 1999,&nbsp;where a <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/gigi-hadid-26-birthday-cheese-party-zayn-malik-bella-hadid">birthday party</a> for Camilla's sister was being held.

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-scandal-royals-11.jpg

Charles and Camilla moved to Clarence House together.
&nbsp;
<iframe frameborder="0" height="800" scrolling="no" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwRiymiga17/embed" width="700"></iframe>

In February 2005 the couple&#39;s engagement took place, and a few months later&nbsp;on April 9 they were married&nbsp;with a <a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/g19135643/prince-charles-camilla-wedding-photos/">civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall</a> and then an official blessing from the Archbishop of Canterbury in St. George&#39;s Chapel, in Windsor Castle.

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-scandal-royals-12.jpg

2010: Questions remain on Camilla's title after Charles becomes king

prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowles-princes-diana-royals

Due to the extent of their <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/celebrity-scandals-you-forgot-about">scandal</a> and as Camilla is seen as part of the reason Charles&rsquo;s first <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/miley-cyrus-calls-marriage-to-liam-hemsworth-disaster">marriage</a> ended, the official royal position is that she would receive the title of Princess Consort instead of Queen.&nbsp;After an uproar in <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/phoebe-dynevor-daphne-bridgerton-netflix-facts">England,</a> the Palace responded by saying nothing had changed and Princess Consort was still the intended title for her.

2022: Charles and Camilla at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

In the message the Queen released for her <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/queen-elizabeth-reveals-royal-future-prince-charles-camilla-queen-consort">Platinum Jubilee</a>, she shocks royal fans with the statement that it is her "sincere wish" that Camilla should be known as the <a href="https://preview.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/queen-elizabeth-reveals-royal-future-prince-charles-camilla-queen-consort">Queen Consort</a> when Charles takes to the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/everything-we-know-about-house-of-the-dragon-game-of-thrones-spinoff-trailer-cast">throne</a>.

2022: Charles and Camilla to be crowned King and Queen Consort

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, Charles and Camilla were officially named King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom.

2023: Charles and Camilla are crowned King and Queen

While it was initially reported that Camilla would be styled "Her Majesty The Queen Consort," as a way of separating her from the late Queen Elizabeth II, following the coronation of King Charles III, Camilla has been styled as "Her Majesty The Queen."

The Timeline of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles' Relationship

Tags

Related Articles

Pop culture

Queen Elizabeth Reveals Prince Charles and Camilla's Future as Royals

Pop culture

10 Times Princess Diana and Prince Charles Broke Royal Traditions in Their Marriage

Pop culture

Who Cheated First: King Charles or Princess Diana?

Recommended posts for you

Pop culture

Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly Call It Quits

Fashion

Eternal Treasures: New Icons From Tiffany & Co. Meet Their Archival Counterparts

Shopping

23 Holiday-Ready Pieces to Nail Your Festive Season Outfits

Shopping

24 Stocking Stuffers They Won't Regift

Pop culture

All the Celebrities Spotted at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024

Shopping

35 Gifts Your Fashion-Forward Friend Actually Wants

Shopping

The Ultimate Winter Fragrances to Keep in Rotation

Shopping

27 Splurge Gifts to Treat Yourself This Holiday Season