Watching the former Camilla Parker Bowles - the Duchess of Cornwell today, standing confidently next to the Queen, during the Jubilee celebrations, brought me to think about days, that Camilla and her family had less reasons to smile.
The love story between Prince Charles and Camilla (and the triangle with the late Princess Diana) is well known. Much less known what Camilla and her family had to go through, during these years, when she was described as, "The Other Woman ..."
I have been privy to some of it, because of the time I spent with her younger sister Annabel Elliot, her husband Simon and their children. Marc Shand her brother shared with me some painful moments. And there was this lunch with Camilla's son Tom in Cannes, when he came to see me in the midst of a scandal unravelling, hidden behind under a cap.
I will skip the private moments, instead I will share with you Since these were private moments, I am just going to hint about what this family had been facing until then.
***
We were in a cocktail party for a charity in London. Simon Elliot was sent by Annabel to support the charity. I invited both of them, but Annabel was at her country home that night. Simon and I were chatting when Prince Charles entered the small room. He started to shake hands, making small talk. Cameras were flashing ...I suddenly noticed Simon literally hiding behind me, mumbling: "Daphne, I need to leave, you understand ..."
I did. Simon and Prince Charles had been friends. In fact, he played a role in finding the "High Grove" - Prince Charles's country home (next to Camilla's home then). But he couldn't afford a photo of him and the Prince, being taken. In a way, not only Camilla was a mistress, her entire family needed to behave like one too.
Camilla has a very close tight family. In couple of our fun lunches at Annabel and Simon's place, we were joined by Annabel's dad Bruce Shand. Since their mother died from Osteoporosis, the siblings kept their father close by until he died few years ago.
It is also a very creative family. Her brother Marc wrote a book about elephants. While Annabel liked to travel around the world, and collect antiques, interesting vases, pillows ...We used to have lengthy fun lunches, and then - I couldn't resist buying some of it ...My home is full of these items.
But beside these fun moments, I learnt about painful ones too. Camilla's siblings had to think twice before they came close to any one or event talked to them.
Simon shared with my boyfriend and I, how people convinced them to do a photo shoot of their house to a design magazine. Sure! Annabel's taste deserves to be featured in a prestigious outlet, why not? "Then," shared with us a visibly shocked Simon, "We found a photo of our bedroom in a tabloid, with a headline: 'Here is where Prince Charles and Camilla meet secretly ...'
Such incidents pushed the Elliots and the rest of the family to a constant "on guard" mode, suspecting anyone and anything. Can you blame them??
***
Yet my impression was that the family united behind Camilla and her soul mate, Prince Charles. They were patient about the slow process of getting Camilla accepted by the public. I recall Annabel's 50th B Day: This was a huge step forward. Charles and Camilla attended, AND it was their first photo-op as a couple. It made headlines around the world. The next day Annabel was laughing with me: "Daphne, now - everyone in the world knows how old I am ..."
***
So the increasing popularity of Camilla is a relief to a very supportive family. It also gives a story of true love - a happy ending.
The love story between Prince Charles and Camilla (and the triangle with the late Princess Diana) is well known. Much less known what Camilla and her family had to go through, during these years, when she was described as, "The Other Woman ..."
I have been privy to some of it, because of the time I spent with her younger sister Annabel Elliot, her husband Simon and their children. Marc Shand her brother shared with me some painful moments. And there was this lunch with Camilla's son Tom in Cannes, when he came to see me in the midst of a scandal unravelling, hidden behind under a cap.
I will skip the private moments, instead I will share with you Since these were private moments, I am just going to hint about what this family had been facing until then.
***
We were in a cocktail party for a charity in London. Simon Elliot was sent by Annabel to support the charity. I invited both of them, but Annabel was at her country home that night. Simon and I were chatting when Prince Charles entered the small room. He started to shake hands, making small talk. Cameras were flashing ...I suddenly noticed Simon literally hiding behind me, mumbling: "Daphne, I need to leave, you understand ..."
I did. Simon and Prince Charles had been friends. In fact, he played a role in finding the "High Grove" - Prince Charles's country home (next to Camilla's home then). But he couldn't afford a photo of him and the Prince, being taken. In a way, not only Camilla was a mistress, her entire family needed to behave like one too.
Camilla has a very close tight family. In couple of our fun lunches at Annabel and Simon's place, we were joined by Annabel's dad Bruce Shand. Since their mother died from Osteoporosis, the siblings kept their father close by until he died few years ago.
It is also a very creative family. Her brother Marc wrote a book about elephants. While Annabel liked to travel around the world, and collect antiques, interesting vases, pillows ...We used to have lengthy fun lunches, and then - I couldn't resist buying some of it ...My home is full of these items.
But beside these fun moments, I learnt about painful ones too. Camilla's siblings had to think twice before they came close to any one or event talked to them.
Simon shared with my boyfriend and I, how people convinced them to do a photo shoot of their house to a design magazine. Sure! Annabel's taste deserves to be featured in a prestigious outlet, why not? "Then," shared with us a visibly shocked Simon, "We found a photo of our bedroom in a tabloid, with a headline: 'Here is where Prince Charles and Camilla meet secretly ...'
Such incidents pushed the Elliots and the rest of the family to a constant "on guard" mode, suspecting anyone and anything. Can you blame them??
***
Yet my impression was that the family united behind Camilla and her soul mate, Prince Charles. They were patient about the slow process of getting Camilla accepted by the public. I recall Annabel's 50th B Day: This was a huge step forward. Charles and Camilla attended, AND it was their first photo-op as a couple. It made headlines around the world. The next day Annabel was laughing with me: "Daphne, now - everyone in the world knows how old I am ..."
***
So the increasing popularity of Camilla is a relief to a very supportive family. It also gives a story of true love - a happy ending.
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