Queen Camillais always supportive ofKing Charleswithout overstepping.
Robert Hardman, author ofThe Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, tells PEOPLE that Queen Camilla “knows the sort of boundaries” that King Charles maintains.
“She wouldn’t want to be getting into the King’s space with his grandchildren,” he says. “She’s not going to push herself. She’s still very keen to maintain. She’s still got her own family. That’s very important to her, and she appreciates how important it is for him.”
Hardman says that King Charles, 75, is a “doting grandfather” toPrince WilliamandKate Middleton’s three children:Prince George, 10,Princess Charlotte, 8, andPrince Louis, 5. In fact, he is spending “a lot more time at Windsor,” the Prince and Princess of Wales' home base, “than anyone expected.”
“Normally, he’s often there on a Thursday and a Friday. Obviously, the Waleses are within walking distance of the castle,” Hardman says. “He’s never really had that sort of proximity to the younger family. Now, there’s more overlap.”
The royal family at Trooping the Colour 2023.Samir Hussein/WireImage
Samir Hussein/WireImage
King Charles' bond with Prince Louis was displayed at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, when Louispopped on his grandfather’s lapduring the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. The Kinggreeted Princess Charlotte with a warm embraceat a coronation practice, as seen in the recent BBC documentary, and Prince Georgeacted as a Page of Honorto the monarch during the crowning ceremony.
However, there are two of his other grandchildren he has rarely seen:Prince Archie, 4, andPrincess Lilibet, 2, who live in California with their parents,Meghan MarkleandPrince Harry.
The royal family on Christmas 2022.Samir Hussein/WireImage
Meanwhile, Queen Camilla, 76, is also a grandmother of five from her two children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes (née Parker Bowles). Tom shares daughter Lola Parker Bowles and son Freddy Parker Bowles with his ex-wife Sara Buys. Laura shares daughter Eliza Lopes and twin sons Gus and Louis Lopes with her husband Harry Lopes.
Queen Camilla’s three grandsons stepped into the royal spotlight when they served as herPages of Honorat the coronation in May.
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Queen Camilla and her grandson Freddy Parker Bowles at the coronation in May 2023.LEON NEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty
LEON NEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty
Hardman says that Queen Camilla “does bring a sort of unstuffiness” to the royal family.
“She can laugh when there are either adverse headlines or there’s some crisis or something. She’s just an upbeat person,” he says. “I could see her in a real crisis, I think she’d be a great asset.”
Sheshared an updateon her husband during an official outing after the palace announced that the King would have a “corrective procedure” for the benign condition next week.
“He’s fine, thank you very much. Looking forward to getting back to work,” the Queen told a well-wisher.
Comparing her to Queen Elizabeth’s husband of 73 years Prince Philip, Hardman adds, “There in the sense of someone who is absolutely central to the story, but who is entirely comfortable with being — not quite second fiddle, but there are areas where he’s unquestionably in charge but there are other areas where she can help, or take some of the load.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla at the coronation in May 2023.P van Katwijk/Getty
P van Katwijk/Getty
source: people.com
