The Truth About Princess Anne's Relationship With Camilla Parker Bowles

The royal family all but demands attention. Their lives — both private and public — are of massive intrigue, and while they spend copious amounts of energy on maintaining their squeaky clean personal images, they've all been dealt their fair share of drama. One such dynamic that absolutely oozes attention is the relationship between Princess Anne — Queen Elizabeth's only daughter — and King Charles III's second wife. Queen Camilla married Charles when he was still heir to the throne in 2005, but her relationship with Anne goes back way farther than that. So how did these two meet? What did their early lives consist of?

Those remotely aware of royal ins and outs likely know that Camilla ran with the royal crowd from a young age. She was a London debutante back in the 1960s, and given her proximity to the city's social scene, she brushed elbows with the royals at polo matches and other high-class events. She met Charles in 1970, through Anne we might add, and the rest is history.

But, for two women who are at the core of the royal family, Camilla and Anne have had their fair share of ups and downs. This is the truth about Princess Anne's relationship with Camilla.

There's nothing better than meeting a potential significant other through mutual friends, or is there? As noted by Express, the queen consort then known as Camilla Parker Bowles met her future husband, King Charles III, through Princess Anne — the situation, however, was not as peachy as it seems. Royal author Penny Junor told Express that it was through Anne's relationship with Andrew Parker Bowles that Camilla and Charles met, and, thus, their "little fling" began.

We'll get into Anne's relationship with Andrew in a bit, but what did the initial melting pot between the royals and both Parker Bowles look like? As noted by Town & Country, Camilla and Charles met at a polo match (surprise, surprise) in 1970, and Camilla was quick with her remarks. She reportedly said, "My great-grandmother was the mistress of your great-great-grandfather. I feel we have something in common." Yes, she was that bold. Of course, Anne was involved with Andrew at the time, and Charles left soon after for his Royal Navy service. When he came back, Camilla was engaged to Andrew, which undoubtedly left both the then-prince and princess rather snubbed.

When Queen Camilla and King Charles III married in 2005, Princess Anne reportedly gave Camilla the cold shoulder. It should be noted that a number of the royals weren't thrilled about the nuptials, and Queen Elizabeth didn't even attend the ceremony. Body language expert Judi James told Express that after their wedding, members of the royal family looked less than enthused about the new couple. "At the poses after their wedding the Queen and Philip stood back and away from the couple on the steps, which prevented any happy family photographs being taken and it looks very much as though Anne is equally unwilling to look anything more than frosty here, too," James said. 

Not exactly a warm welcome, but it should be noted that Anne was rather standoffish to Princess Diana, too. As noted by E! News, Anne "had no time for Diana" and often found her relationship with the media irritating. Anne reportedly had (and still has) a "much more traditional approach to monarchy and royal duty," which could explain her frosty behavior to Diana and her less-than-welcoming behavior toward Camilla.

Queen Camilla and Princess Anne haven't had the easiest relationship, and that could be thanks to their involvement with the same man. Sally Bedell Smith, King Charles III's biographer, told Town & Country that Anne and Andrew Parker Bowles were romantically involved in the 1970s. The two were reportedly quite taken with each other, but the royal family put their foot down when the idea of marriage came into play. Why? Andrew was Catholic, and, as a member of the Church of England, Anne wasn't allowed to marry him. That's not to say that their relationship dwindled, but Andrew did meet Camilla and he popped the question.

As noted by Independent, Andrew and Camilla were married on July 4, 1973, at the Guards Chapel, and their reception was held at St. James's Palace. A number of royals were in attendance, including the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, and, you guessed it, Anne. Was there a twinge of jealousy? No one will ever really know, but given the speedy timeline of Andrew and Camilla's relationship — and the hastiness of it following the romance between Andrew and Anne — it's hard not to jump to conclusions.

Princess Anne was not particularly welcoming to either Princess Diana or Queen Camilla, as mentioned, but how much of that did Camilla clue into? According to royal author Penny Junor, the queen consort was well aware of Anne's cold demeanor and was rather "intimidated" by the princess for years following her marriage to King Charles III. As noted by The News, "Anne's chilly conduct was extremely nerve-racking for Camilla," in part because issues from the past had not yet been resolved.

Nothing complicates matters more than romance, and from what Junor assessed, Anne took some time to warm up to the idea of having the woman who married one of her loves around. "The affair between Andrew and Anne came to nothing but I think they were hugely fond of each other. And they remain hugely fond of each other. And I think Camilla has always had a bit of a problem with that," Junor said. She continued by saying that Anne has been known for her "abrasive" demeanor, and given the personal history between the women, Camilla appeared to be intimidated by her for quite some time.

We all know the famous cheating scandal that rocked the royal family, but what if we told you that the queen consort, then known as Camilla Parker Bowles, set her sights on King Charles III because of Princess Anne? Leading royal biographer Penny Junor asserted that Camilla got with Charles in order to spite her then-boyfriend, Andrew Parker Bowles, who was, by all accounts, still romantically attached to Anne. It was allegedly a "tit-for-tat" situation, according to The News, and if it hadn't been for Andrew's infidelity, Camilla might have never pursued a relationship with Charles.

While speaking at the Henley Literary Festival, Junor asserted that Camilla was "passionately in love" with Andrew, but his romance with Anne and other women pushed her over the edge, as noted by the Daily Mail. Camilla reportedly caught Andrew cheating, slashed his tires, and wrote a message to him on his car in lipstick. She then reportedly set her gaze on Charles, and the rest is history. "When she was introduced to Charles ... she thought 'Andrew is at the moment off with Princess Anne, you know her brother, teach Andrew a lesson.' So she had a fling with Charles," Junor said. Talk about drama.

Despite the drama and the presence of Queen Camilla in the royal family, Princess Anne is still very close to Andrew Parker Bowles. In fact, as noted by Harper's Bazaar, Andrew is the godfather of Zara Phillips, Anne's daughter. And to make matters even weirder, King Charles III is the godfather of Tom Parker Bowles, Camilla and Andrew's son. We'll give you a minute to sit with this information — because there's a lot of inter-family dynamics going on.

So, what is it with Andrew that has him so enwrapped in Anne's life, as well as his ex's? Harper's Bazaar noted that Andrew had a very close relationship with the royals since childhood, as his father was a good friend of the Queen Mother's. Andrew was even a page boy at Queen Elizabeth's 1953 coronation. By all means, the relationship between Camilla and Anne has yet another layer of complication to it, as there are a lot of exes, a lot of history, and a lot of drama to afford.

Since stepping down as working royals, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have attracted a lot of attention. It has been speculated that King Charles III is taking steps to shrink the size of the royal family and while Harry and Meghan are certainly on the outs, questions about others' roles in the royal family have arisen — and Princess Anne reportedly had something to say about it. 

Back in 2021, a royal insider told New Idea, "Anne has always found Camilla opportunistic and, with her and Prince Charles' roles being widened in 2021, she's really throwing her weight around." The insider continued by sharing that Anne had grown frustrated with the dynamic, as she "rarely gets any alone time with her brother" to share her thoughts. It was also reported that Camilla wanted Anne to simply let go of any past resentments toward her, but that the princess was still holding on to rooted grudges.

It's clear that there is some very historical tension between Princess Anne and Queen Camilla, but, according to body language expert Judi James, they may have come to a place of understanding, as they are both trying to support and maintain the monarchy.

In the wake of Prince Philip's death, the already assertive King Charles III, then Prince Charles, once again stepped up to the plate, bringing his wife and sister along with him. James told Express that while "the relationship between Anne and Camilla might have been difficult," they appeared to be making strides toward understanding. "Senior royals do [seem] to have closed ranks around the Queen recently, creating an elite squad of Charles, Camilla and Anne, Kate and William and Edward and Sophie," James said. 

James further explained that there will likely always be distance between Camilla and Anne, but "they are beginning to look as though shared goals in terms of their ... desire to sustain the image of the royal firm have brought them closer together."

Romantic relationships have seemingly put Princess Anne and Queen Camilla at odds, but the princess undoubtedly helped Camilla and King Charles III when it came to asserting their relationship. As asserted by Express, Anne was the first royal to not only divorce her spouse, but then to marry the man she had an affair with. Here are the details. While married to Mark Phillips, Anne cheated on him with Timothy Lawrence. She subsequently filed for divorce from Phillips in 1992, and, very soon after, got married to Lawrence. 

This by no means was a traditional thing to ever happen in the otherwise morally upright royal family, but it's very safe to say that her trailblazing ways helped Camilla out enormously. Camilla was famously Charles' mistress, as the two maintained their relationship throughout Charles' marriage to Diana Spencer. After divorcing Diana and navigating her tragic death, Charles married Camilla in 2005. It's safe to say that, without Anne, Camilla would have had no precedent to rely on when it came to marrying the man she loved. So while these two have certainly had their ups and downs, they have helped each other in a way.

For all the history, all the drama, all the awkward moments, and all the tense body language, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne have fortunately been able to share some lighthearted moments. As noted by Express, both Camilla and Anne attended the royal family Christmas Day church service in 2019, and, by coincidence, had both chosen to wear very striking purple outfits. Anne reportedly approached the church's entrance and joined Camilla, who quickly noticed that they both were dressed in the same bold color. "Camilla pointed this out with a fun, elbowing gesture aimed at Anne and the two women laughed together," expert Judi James noted. 

James also pointed to the fact that observing a jovial Anne in public is a rare occasion. "With any other royal but Anne this might have been unimportant," James said, but the moment allowed for a rather pleasant interaction between the two women.

Royal protocol regarding who bows to whom is a complicated subject, as there are both rules and customs that people either have to follow or can choose to follow.

Since King Charles III ascended the throne and Camilla has become queen consort, protocol has changed. As noted by Page Six, people who meet the king will have to bow or curtsy to him and then refer to him as "Your Majesty." Once pleasantries have been exchanged, he is to be called "Sir." As for Camilla, she is no longer required to curtsy to anyone in the royal family — including Princess Anne — but likely will curtsy to other monarchs from around the world — a sign of respect, according to Hello! Magazine.

However, here's where things get a little complicated. As designated in a rule change set in place in 2005 by the late Queen Elizabeth II, princesses born into the family, like Princesses Anne or Charlotte, technically rank above a woman who marries into the family, like Camilla. In fact, it was Anne who was particularly passionate about the rule, titled the Precedence Of The Royal Family To Be Observed At Court. "This was done at the behest of Princess Anne and Princess Alexandra, both of whom have given their adult lives to royal service and who saw no reason to make obeisance to this — at the time — highly unpopular woman," a former courtier explained to the Daily Mail. "Princess Anne, in ­particular, was extremely chilly towards Camilla and made it clear she had no intention of curtseying to her ever."

It's safe to say that Princess Anne and Queen Camilla have shared a twisted history that only two women in the royal family can. And while you'd think these two may be at odds for the foreseeable future, body language expert Judi James told Express that their more recent interactions at public events point to a friendly relationship.

"Given their past histories, with Anne having dated Camilla's ex-husband, the relationship between Anne and Camilla might have been difficult," James attested. "History like that would normally create a sense of embarrassment or discomfort from someone in Anne's position. [In one photo] she looked as though she might be ignoring or cutting Camilla rather than avoiding her, suggesting she is taking a slow-thaw route to her sister-in-law. But now, the two women seem very tolerant of one another to the point of often looking like old friends."

While James said Anne was "slow to thaw" to the new queen consort after she and King Charles III tied the knot, it's clear that the two women have been able to find some sort of common ground. It is well-documented that both share a passion for horses and the outdoors, and they are both highly committed to the monarchy. "Camilla and Anne's most frequent bouts of body language together suggest they have harvested all the many things they have in common to relax into the role of friends," James concluded.

All eyes were on King Charles III and Queen Camilla during the coronation on May 6, 2023. The day was a perfect example of the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the royals, and — despite some protesting — the day seemed to go off without a hitch. However, Princess Anne just about stole the show when she emerged on the scene, and her stark contrast from Camilla was on full display.

When Camilla came onto the scene for the big day, she emerged in a simple ivory dress, ready to sit beside her husband during the ceremony. Her hair was in its usual swept-up look, and she came across as her normal — if not slightly elevated — self. After the ceremony, she and Charles left Westminster Abbey in the Gold State Coach, giving very much real-life fairytale.

Anne — who has often spoken about not fulfilling the script of a usual princess – came to the coronation on horseback. Dressed in her full armed forces uniform with military regalia, As the official Gold-Stick-in-Waiting — essentially her brother's security guard — Anne rode up to the abbey looking like a total boss, with 6,000 members of the armed forces following behind her. The majority of the guests were seated in the abbey when Anne walked up the aisle, and though it may have been Charles and Camilla's big day, the Princess Royal ate and left zero crumbs.

Though the relationship between Princess Anne and Queen Camilla has seemingly defrosted over time, the Princess Royal reportedly confronted Camilla shortly after the May 6, 2023, coronation. As royal watchers know, the late Queen Elizabeth II made her desire for Camilla to be named queen consort known, though Camilla has adopted queen – with consort dropped – colloquially in the time since her death. According to an insider, Princess Diana's dressmaker David Emanuel, Anne approached Camilla about the title specification shortly after the coronation took place, telling Camilla that she was not comfortable with her use of queen versus queen consort.

"I heard that there was a Coronation dinner with which obviously the king and Camila were there, and apparently the Princess Royal said, 'You're not Queen, you're the Queen consort,'" Emanuel recounted, before adding that a number of people are charged up about Camilla's adoption of the more senior title despite the late queen's wishes (via the Mirror). "I understood from Her Majesty the Queen, she said [Camilla] should be queen consort. Now suddenly she's now going to be queen. And it's very difficult because a lot of people have told me they were unhappy about it."

When King Charles III and Camilla got married, it was announced that she would adopt the title of princess consort – that was upgraded to queen consort, and now seemingly queen.

King Charles III has been waiting for his coronation day since the beginning of time, and Queen Camilla was certainly reveling in the day's festivities when May 6, 2023, rolled around. Despite her brother and sister-in-law's big day, however, Princess Anne had more important things on her mind, and she was noticeably absent from one of the coronation's biggest events: the concert at Windsor Castle.

The day after they were crowned, Charles, Camilla, and a majority of the royal family gathered for a star-studded concert that featured the likes of Lionel Richie and Katy Perry. Though Anne's daughter, Zara Tindall, and her husband Mike Tindall were in attendance — as well as Anne's son's Peter Phillips and girlfriend Lindsay Wallace — Anne decided to skip the high-profile concert and instead get some sleep. As it happens, she had an early rise the next day as she had an official royal engagement already on her calendar.

Missing out on Charles and Camilla's big concert certainly doesn't come as a surprise as far as Anne is concerned. She has been known as the hardest working royal for years now – in 2022, she topped the list of number of royal engagements at a whopping 214, leaving Charles in the dust at 181. Praised for her dedication to the monarchy and her no-nonsense attitude, Anne passing on the concert and instead focusing on her duties is so very much her.