The Reason The Queen Skipped Charles And Camilla’s Wedding

King Charles’ relationship with Camilla had a controversial start, to say the least. After all, his divorce from Diana scandalized the royal family – and the public. So the moment Charles and Camilla finally said “I do” was a monumental one. But one guest was not present at the event, and her silence was deafening. It was none other than the mother of the groom: the late Queen Elizabeth II.

A notable absence

Why wasn’t the Queen there when Charles and Camilla tied the knot on April 9, 2005? It wasn’t simply because it was a relatively low-key affair — at least compared to recent royal weddings. The couple officially married at the Windsor Guildhall. Since they were both divorced, it was a civil ceremony. They also had their union blessed at Windsor Castle’s St. George’s Chapel. So there was plenty of room for the Queen to attend.

Rumors began to fly

What made the Queen’s absence even more felt was that other prominent royals were there. Guests included young Princes William and Harry, Princesses Beatrice, Eugenie, and Anne. Onlookers were therefore left with more questions than answers. Could the Queen not attend for some reason? Did she choose not too? Naturally, much was made of her decision to skip the wedding in the press.

Disapproval?

Of course, there was speculation that the Queen had snubbed the proceedings because she didn’t approve of her son’s union. It’s not that tough to see why this was a prevailing theory – especially given what had gone on behind closed doors. As we know, Charles’ divorce from Diana had not gone down well with the public. But there was more to it than that from the Queen’s perspective.

The first meeting

Charles and Camilla first met at a polo match held at Windsor Great Park way back in 1970. The pair bonded over their shared love for the sport, their appreciation of the great outdoors, and their similar sense of humor. But that wasn’t the only connection between the lovestruck pair.