The Duchess of Cornwall is examined in depth on this web site. With the passage of time Prince Charles was able to marry her without incurring the wrath of the nation. Clarence House has said that it is not the "intention" that she should ever be title "Queen" if and when Charles becomes "King"
The Duchess of Cornwall has her upbringing, interests, education, first marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles, her adulterous relationship with Charles, followed by her eventual marriage to him explored in this web site. There is extensive coverage of her genealogy, with an overall chart, plus details of her parents, grandparents and great grandparents - including Alice Keppel, the mistress of Edward VII.
The Duchess of Cornwall was born Camilla Rosemary Shand on 17th July 1947 at King’s College Hospital, London, the eldest of three children. She has a sister Annabel Elliot (nee Shand), and a brother, Mark Shand.
The Duchess of Cornwall is the daughter of Major Bruce Middleton Hope Shand and the Hon Rosalind Maud Shand (nee Cubitt). Camilla inherited some £500,000 from her mother's family, who had once developed much of Belgravia. The legacy is the reason she never needed to work.
She was a Lloyd's of London Names, but is said to have lost most of her private fortune in the Lloyd's of London insurance market problems.
The Duchess of Cornwall is the second wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. Prior to their marriage she had been his longtime partner. They met around 1970, and pursued an on-off friendship over the years, until finally marrying in 2005. The adulterous relationship with Charles, and Diana's "three in the marriage" scenario, kept the tabloid press amused for a decade.
Duchess of Cornwall was chosen as her title. As the wife of the Prince of Wales she is therefore the Princess of Wales, but because the title of Princess of Wales was prominently linked with that of the Lady Diana Spencer it was felt more politic not to use that title.
She is known as The Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland.
The passage of time has appeared to heal the public feeling of antipathy towards her, and the memory of Diana has begun to fade. The constitutional issues involved were weighty, and both state and church had to approve the marriage. Both had been divorced, and the Queen is both Head of State and Head of the Church of England. In the end they were married at a small Civil Ceremony with only 30 guests - the Queen did not attend this ceremony. And it was followed by a large Church Blessing in Windsor Castle Chapel, with the Archbishop of Canterbury officiating.
They had their honeymoon at Birkhall House, previously used by the Queen Mother. Birkhall is a few miles from Balmoral, the Queens home in Scotland on Royal Deeside.
Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles now live in Clarence House in London as their official London home. They have other properties in the country.