Why Prince William and Queen Camilla Have ‘A Lot to Overcome’

Prince William has reportedly mistrusted his stepmother since they first met.

August 22, 2024, 11:33am

Britain's Camilla smiles as she wears a modified version of Queen Mary's Crown during the Coronation Ceremony inside Westminster Abbey in central London, on May 6, 2023. – The set-piece coronation is the first in Britain in 70 years, and only the second in history to be televised. Charles will be the 40th reigning monarch to be crowned at the central London church since King William I in 1066. Outside the UK, he is also king of 14 other Commonwealth countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole / POOL / AFP) (Photo by GARETH CATTERMOLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The British royal family is a web of awkward relationships, and this week one biographer put the spotlight on Queen Camilla and Prince William. Christopher Andersen, author of The King: The Life of Charles III, told Us Weekly that their rapport has been fraught fom the start. He went all the way back to the heir’s first meeting with Camilla, saying: “She was shaking like a leaf.”

Camilla Parker-Bowles is now the Queen Consort, but she has never been able to shake her origin as “the Other Woman” in King Charles III’s life. The two had an affair while both of them were married, and after the death of Prince William’s mother, Princess Diana, they got married. Andersen said that Camilla was nervous to meet Prince William, even though he was just 17 years old at the time. “As soon as William left, she said she needed a gin and tonic,” he revealed.

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A lot has changed since then, but Andersen believes that the prince and his stepmother are on better terms than the press gives them credit for. He pointed out an incident just last month when Prince William removed Camilla’s sister, Annabel Elliot, from the payroll at the Duchy of Cornwall. Prince William inherited the estate when his father assumed the throne, and Andersen said this was an “inevitable” business movie for him, adding: “William wants his own team in there.” He does not believe this led to any bad blood.

Other sources agreed, with one saying: “William has warmed up to Camilla over time,” and another saying they have developed “a familial relationship these days.” One of the sources said that Prince William and Queen Camilla have found more common ground since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left their royal duties behind and moved to the U.S. They said: “It brought them closer. William and Kate [Middleton] don’t want any extra drama or tension in the family – they have enough of that with Meghan [Markle] and Harry.”

They also credited Middleton for helping soften Prince William, saying that the Princess of Wales has “never been dismissive of Camilla and always treated her with kindness… Kate likes her because she brings a real-life relatability into the family. She’s not all about the courtiers waiting on hand and foot. Camilla’s real like Kate is.”

Still, Andersen said that Prince William’s politeness is more practical than compassionate. He said the prince “tolerates her,” and that Camilla “has always been a little afraid of William.” He also claimed that Camilla tried to prevent Prince William from marrying Middleton, believing she did not have enough aristocratic heritage.

Whatever is going on behind the scenes, the royal family is generally good at putting up a united front for the public. None of them have commented on this story, and by all appearances Prince William and Queen Camilla are on good terms.