Prince Charles and Princess Diana‘s marriage was tumultuous from the start, but it took a turn for the worse after the birth of their second child, Prince Harry, in 1984.
With an heir and a spare, the prince turned his attention away from his young wife and began rekindling his romance with his ex-girlfriend, Camilla Parker Bowles.
Although Princess Diana was aware of the affair from early on, things reached a boiling point after a kinky phone call between Prince Charles and Parker Bowles was leaked to the press in 1992.
During the conversation, the future King of England said he wanted to “live inside [Camilla‘s] trousers as a pair of knickers” or, “a Tampax.” The Prince and Princess of Wales were finally allowed to separate before eventually divorcing in 1996.
At the time of their separation, Prince William was just ten years old.
Although Princess Diana did not reveal all the details surrounding her crumbling marriage, she was honest with her eldest son about his father’s affair with Duchess Camilla Parker Bowles.
In a 1995 interview with BBC’s Martin Bashir, the late princess said she wanted to be open and honest with William to try and make the situation easier for him.
She revealed that she went to William’s school and advised him to hold onto someone he loved and to protect that person if they loved him back.
William then asked her what was going on, and she answered his questions honestly.
He asked if that was the reason why their marriage had broken up, and she explained that there were three people in their marriage, and the pressure of the media was another factor that made living together difficult.
On the other hand, Prince Harry, who was two years younger than his brother, was left in the dark about the reason for his parents’ divorce.
He found out about the affair like everyone else when it hit the media.
These revelations caused a lot of stress and angst for the Duke of Sussex, especially in his teen years.
Although their relationship has not been perfect, Prince William and Prince Harry have grown to love and respect Camilla Parker Bowles.
The duchess officially became a royal in 2005 when she and Prince Charles tied the knot.
In a 2005 interview with BBC, Prince Harry described Camilla as “a wonderful woman who has made our father very happy, which is the most important thing.
William and I love her to bits.
To be honest with you, she’s always been very close to me and William…but no, she’s not the wicked stepmother.”
In conclusion, Prince Charles’ affair with Camilla Parker Bowles was one of the biggest scandals to rock the British royal family.
However, Princess Diana’s honesty with her son William about the affair helped him better understand the situation and cope with his parents’ separation.
Prince Harry may have been left in the dark about the reason for the divorce, but he has since come to love and respect Camilla as a member of his family.
Despite the turmoil of the past, the British royal family has moved on and continues to capture the world’s attention with their traditions, events, and personal lives.
