(Date Posted:04/09/2007 22:25:48)
Before Diana came on the scene Camilla Shand was in a relationship with H.R.H. The Prince of Wales. Though at the
same time dating, and later marrying, Andrew Parker - Bowles having found out her boyfriend was incapable of fidelity
to her, she embarked on an affair with Charles. Though loving Charles, Camilla was not in love with him at that time
and a private person was not in favour of living life in a gold - fish bowl as marriage to him as she now is finding out as
his new wife has meant.
When Charles proposed to her initially she had turned him down which was a relief to the royals as Camilla a non -
virgin was seen as unsuitable wife material to bear him an heir. Andrew having returned to Camilla and flattered that
she'd had an affair with the prince, this appealing to his competitive nature, proposed to her and she accepted, her
engagement announced in the society column of "The Times". Charles in the navy was himself miles away on board
his ship H.M.S. Minerva when this news came, he broken - hearted !
When Camilla and Andrew married July 4th 1973, the Queen Mother was a guest. Derek Parker - Bowles the groom's
father a friend of hers and the Princess Royal with whom Andrew had an affair whilst he was dating Camilla. Charles
was noticeably absent. Their love for each other never died and by December 1973 both were writing to each other.
Charles accepting that if he couldn't have her as wife or lover,he'd have her as friend and confidante, he trusting her
more than anyone in his life and she understanding the man behind the mask or persona as Diana calls it when
describing hers of "Diana, Princess of Wales ".
Andrew himself encouraging the friendship between his wife and Charles, after all an influential and powerful contact
to maintain, a future King and both men knew each other before Camilla had even come along and got on well with
each other. In 1979 Lord Mountbatten was murdered by the I.R.A. and Charles devastated as his uncle had been
more of a father figure to him, he and his father not sharing a close rapport, turned in his grief to Camilla for comfort
and she was there for him. He later calling her first after the news from Paris which equally devastated him and again
she being his personal comforter. Camilla in an open - marriage with philanderer husband Andrew; and Charles had
resumed their affair in 1980 when it was she who knowing he needed a wife had suggested he look at "Lady Diana
Spencer", the younger sister of "Lady Sarah Spencer" with whom he was having an on - off fling with and the Queen
Mother and Diana's maternal grandmother who were friends were also instrumental in organising the mis - match.
Diana was young, naive and therefore could be, as they wrongly assumed, moulded and manipulated and was also
virginal. Even prior to her marriage to him Diana had suspected Camilla and he being more than friends. Asking him
why he spent so much time around a married woman he'd told her because she was safe. Diana initially thinking
perhaps he'd meant she being married, nobody could gossip about the friendship but later realising he'd meant that
nobody would suspect an affair between them continuing! This was confirmed when having voiced her concern to
Charles, Camilla when next seeing Diana had patted her on the shoulder and told her " Not to worry about me! "
Diana herself nearly ended their romance when the story broke in November 1980 about a mysterious blonde being
seen visiting Charles in the royal train in a siding in Holt, Wiltshire. Diana having been in her apartment, a virtual non -
drinker all day nursing a hang - over from Princess Margaret's 50th birthday party the night before, knew it was
Camilla in spite of all the official denials from the palace.
The trains telephone log revealing Charles had made a late night call to Camilla at her home less than fifteen miles
away that same night.. Diana assumed that once married to him his attraction for Camilla would wane so agreed to his
proposal the following year and becoming the second woman in his life. Charles on the eve of the announcement of
their engagement had told his personal valet Stephen Barry he was making a mistake but everyone by this time loved
Diana, the media adored her and her fate of being " Fairytale Princess" was set. Following a medical examination on
February 26th 1981 to determine her fully fit and still a virgin, the betrothal announcement made February 28th 1981.
A shock awaited her on her moving from her apartment to "Clarence House" prior to the engagement being publicly
announced, a welcome note but not from Charles but rather from Camilla, who he clearly had told everything to. By
example Diana's only being told of the official engagement being made the day after her moving there and the letter
dated three days earlier to her personally having been informed of this by the palace! It was obvious to everyone that
future bride and groom shared little in common and he'd soon be back in Camilla's arms. However the greatest show
ever at tax payers expense went ahead..."The Royal Wedding".
There being rumour he and Camilla spent the night before the wedding together after a pre - wedding party
organised by the Queen at "Buckingham Palace". The honeymoon proving a disaster for Diana, the bulimia had
taken hold of her being on an emotional roller - coaster as she'd realised, discovering private snap-shots of Camilla in
his diary and he even wearing cuff links intertwined with two golden "C"s whilst attending a state dinner given in their
honour by later assassinated Egyptian President Anwar Sadat whilst they visited the country during the honeymoon
cruise on the "Royal Yacht Britannia". Back in the U.K. he and Camilla called each other everyday. Diana discovering
letters exchanged between them had photo -copied them dated and signed and hidden them and reportedly
threatened Charles with publicly releasing them on more than one occasion!
Initially during the marriage Camilla remained Charle's friend and confidante, there was no affair but Diana was not a
stupid woman and knew her husband loved another woman, the one he'd always loved and it wasn't her. Diana
began behaving erratically which necessitated her being visited in October 1981 by a succession of psychiatrists and
therapists as her depression was increasing, she even becoming suicidal. To the public a born performer, the
audience of the actress had no clue to the inner turmoil devouring her and becoming pregnant with William did not
help, her mood swings increasing with this added pressure maintaining the fairy tale fantasy; in reality a nightmare.
Diana's happiness spent with her baby in motherhood not with her husband, they arguing continuously and later
pregnant again with Harry in 1984 the same story, relations between the husband and wife did not improve after his
birth, becoming far, far worse!. Charles calling Camilla even more during this pregnancy time; asking for advice how
to deal with things which had become unbearable. Curious that it reported to have been said by Diana that during this
time was one of closeness for them both ?
Diana was very unwell with the bulimia and physical relations with Charles had soon died a death. He having resumed
his affair with Camilla and Diana's guessing it had not helped. Safe - houses for the affair being provided by friends of
Charles who maintained a discreet silence as to what was going on. Diana and Charles spending more and more time
apart often paths only crossing at official engagements and the media finding this out reporting it daily in headlines
until Prince Philip told Charles to get his act together as his behaviour was placing the future of the monarchy in
jeopardy. It did not help and by the end of 1984 Diana was carrying out official engagements alone, which she
enjoyed with the adoring public. These times being compensation of a type for her husbands rejection of her and he
didn't have to take second billing to reports on his wife's latest glamorous outfit or hairstyle as he'd found himself
doing for years!
By 1986 the marriage over in all but name Diana moved her possessions out of their country retreat into her own
rooms at Kensington Palace. "Highgrove" had a new mistress. Camilla entertaining guests there with Charles and
they being told if she was asked about that Diana had chosen to spend the weekend in London. " The Highgrove Set
" as Diana had called them she'd not related to, her tastes were younger, she being that much younger than all of
them including her husband but both Diana and Charles adored their children as can be seen now by the close
rapport shared by William and Harry with him. In spite of his cold and austere childhood, he being a warm father
though Diana was the more openly demonstrative parental figure certainly publicly.
On the rare times Diana visited "Highgrove" usually at weekends so the children could see their father who spent most
of his time there,she and Charles systematically argued and no longer slept together. By 1989 and tired of the sham
of everything Diana asked for an official separation but Charles refused it knowing the constitutional crisis it could
cause as with his great - uncle Edward Vlll who had abdicated the crown for his loving American divorcee "Wallis
Simpson". Amazing comparisons can be drawn between their story and Camilla and Charles. Both long time love
affairs. Both strong women who captivated the heir to the throne. Both were affairs that remained secret from the
British public but were openly gossiped about in aristocratic circles. Both causing a scandal which rocked the British
Monarchy and both ended up in their marriage to the men they loved in spite of both royal and public opinion. Edward
being exiled with Wallis to live in Paris in the same house now belonging to Mohamed al - Fayed and visited by Diana
and his eldest son Dodi during their last weekend alive in the French capital city in 1997.
Things didn't improve and in 1992 an emergency meeting was held at Balmoral with the Queen, Prince Philip, Diana
and Charles in which Diana was told that divorce was out of the question as it meant she'd lose custody of her
children, they being in second and third line to the throne but an unofficial separation could be considered. Diana
agreed to touring Korea with Charles that same year and if in the event of her feeling the same way on their return,
this would happen. Charles meanwhile had organised for " Highgrove" to be re - decorated removing any traces of a
memory of Diana's touch there and this in his absence was something done, over- seen by Camilla. In London the
Prince of Wales most personal things were moved from Kensington Palace to his new quarters at St. James Palace.
His collecting personal affects only when he was certain Diana was out, such was their mutual resentment and
loathing of each other.
During the Korean tour Diana caught Charles affectionately calling Camilla and shortly after they returned to the U.K.
on December 9th 1992 and having realised there was no hope for the marriage to sustain, announcement of an
official separation was made. This later to be followed by divorce, both having publicly admitted to having engaged in
extra - marital affairs!
Eventual friendship between Diana and Charles after the divorce positively resulting and prior to the tragic events
taking place on August 31st 1997 when Charles proved to the world that in spite of royal opinions expressed to him
against his doing so, that in his personally flying to Paris, France to collect Diana and to bring her home for the last
time ;he honoured a sense of loyalty and respect to that friendship with the mother of their children.
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" D I A N A: T H E P E O P L E 'S P R I N C E S S " 1961 - 1997
"Diana, Princess of Wales" the most celebrated icon of this age. Diana in future books of history will clearly have a
headliner on a much read page. The unforgettable memory of Diana is one destined never to die.
Here in my personal opinion are the reasons why ....
Diana was born privileged but connected with everyone whatever age, nationality,class, social background, mental or
physical capacity,colour or creed. She was someone who proved she cared by action not solely in word and fulfilled a
very important and necessary gap within society in bridging the gap between royalty and the common man and
Diana's doing so from 1981 when her royal life first began.
Diana a lady so appealing to the eye with a figure to applaud, someone of inimitable style and grace and as
magazines still prove today an ever popular front - cover face! Diana's actions and indiscretions not always making
her popular in the ranks within the Firm as from them she always stole the show, ultimately standing up against those
who did her wrong and not ashamed, scared to expose and reveal secrets hidden and to let the people of the world,
the real truth about things know.
People personally related to Diana as she openly exposed her suffering things others being human also do ---
depression, bulimia, infidelity,extra marital affairs, betrayals,laughter and tears, angers, frustrations, the joys of finding
new romance and being a single parent after marital failure and consequent divorce !
Diana remained strong and determined, her therapy being the charity work she involved herself in, her missions of
her personal choice. The lady became the speaker for those in every nation who'd found they had no public voice.
The results achieved were quite incredible as we all witnessed over the "Diana Years" which is why annually at the
time of August 31st and the anniversary of her death; Diana's memory is honoured by cards and flowers as well as by
some our freshly cried tears !
Diana an adoring Mother, seen to be something especially in the reserved and austere royal "House of Windsor" as
quite unique, was in her death robbed of her children as well as William and Harry of the unconditional love and
devotion of someone sharing with them both a closeness of bond, it still now being painful for them both to speak
about her. They, in publicly remembering her on her birthday ten years after losing her, organising the "Concert For
Diana" in 2007. We all saw this and it was so encouraging to see as they are, of course, for the world, "Diana's boys"
and her greatest legacy.
Now Diana is still proving " She Won't Go Quietly! "as in life Diana said about herself. "Icons " remain revered forever,
so the essence, the legend of Diana lives on after her in numerous ways indeed !
I want to thank you Diana for personally inspiring the creation of this your personal site and for choosing me as well
as others to let your words, thoughts and feelings be heard and felt in people's hearts in powerful ways that only your
influence can possess, an influence so far reaching that on July 29th 1981 nobody could guess, that forever and
always you would reign in the role from which you will not abdicate, that of being" Diana, The People's Princess ! "
Andrew Russell - Davis / October 29th 2009
