It Began with a Mistake

Like many fairy tales, it began with a prince and princess who got together hoping to have a happily ever after. But in this scenario, it was Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, and theirs was far from a storybook romance.

After tying the knot in a lavish royal ceremony in 1981, everyone thought they were the perfect couple; however, Prince Charles’ heart was somewhere else, and it became the eventual downfall of his relationship with Diana. As it turns out, he only pursued the blonde beauty to honor his duty to his family of finding the ideal future queen of England who would one day rule beside him.

His First Romance

Even if Prince Charles has already married Diana, he couldn't shake off one woman out from his life – Camilla Shand. The pair first crossed paths in 1971 after they were introduced by a familiar friend and fell in love not soon after; one could say it was a whirlwind romance indeed!

Initially, both Charles and Camilla tried to make it work, but royal duties came in the way, and the lovebirds were forced to separate. Still, their affection for each other was undeniable and something they both never had before – it felt like they were soulmates!

Love Even from Afar

After their breakup, Camilla went on to have a relationship with a man named Andrew Parker Bowles. On the other hand, Prince Charles began courting Lady Diana – it seemed like it was the closure they both needed. However, their feelings for each other were too powerful to ignore, and they started an undisclosed relationship on the side despite their marriage to other people.

As much as Charles and Camilla wanted to stay out of an inevitable scrutiny, they always found their way back together. Of course, their closeness will one day cause more trouble for the prince and his future bride, Diana.

The Cat’s Out of the Bag

It's one thing for regular people to have an affair, but when it’s a public figure like Prince Charles, everyone’s bound to know your business. And Princess Diana was one who made sure her sentiments over her husband’s infidelity was heard.

In one tell-all interview with BBC, the Princess of Wales revealed there were three individuals involved in her marriage to Charles, thus making it ‘a bit crowded.’ Obviously, she was referring to Camilla; nevertheless, she put on a brave face and didn’t dwell on the issue. Like a true classy lady, she decided to focus her attention on discussing pressing social matters instead.

A Dutiful Princess

As the consort to the Prince of Wales, Diana did everything any proper monarch would do – and more! Because of this, she became the most popular and well-loved modern-day princess of the century. Diana brought new life and a fresh perspective to the highly traditional monarchy.

Her work and dedication to helping the less privileged were noticed not only in England but worldwide. Everyone grew to love the princess for all that she did; meanwhile, she still had time to spare for her two sons, William and Harry. It’s a tough role, but Diana did everything with ease!

The Doting Mother

With all her social engagements and charity functions, it's incredible to think how Diana never forgot that being a mother to the two handsome princes should be her utmost priority. She defied many old-school ways and introduced a much-modern way of life to her kids, like opting to educate them in an independent school instead of a personal tutor.

Princess Diana was a true hands-on mother and didn’t want to rely on nannies or relatives to take care of her boys. Naturally, there were instances where she had no choice, but she did her best as she knew her presence meant so much to William and Harry.

A Bad Breakup

Amidst all the public speculation surrounding Prince Charles and Princess Diana's marriage, it was only a matter of time when it would come to an end. The Princess of Wales did her part to make it work with Charles, yet they eventually separated and officially got divorced in 1996 – closing the final chapter of their tumultuous relationship.

One would assume that would have been it for Diana; however, something much terrible was about to happen. Little did everyone know that the upcoming tragedy would turn the Windsor family's world upside-down.

Mourning for a Princess

Just a year after calling it quits, the Princess of Wales met a tragic car accident in Paris, France, while being chased by a horde of paparazzi. The world stood still out of shock and grief, and everyone mourned for the beloved princess who made such a significant impact on society.

As expected, Diana's admirers flocked from all corners of the globe to pay their respects one last time at the Buckingham Palace. She would have been in awe to see the sea of flowers laid by the palace gates – the loss of the People’s Princess was surely one of the most miserable moments in royal history.

Laying Her to Rest

Lady Diana faced a lot of struggles in her life, but she remained a crowd favorite even in her demise. For instance, her funeral was undoubtedly the biggest yet most solemn event of the year, with thousands in attendance. No one appreciated this show of love more than Diana's sons, William and Harry, who did their absolute best to move forward and start a new life without their beautiful mom.

Despite all the sadness, Charles, on the other hand, was already one step ahead of everyone. The widowed prince would soon make a decision that will rock the monarchy once again.

Marrying for the Second Time

The people of England already knew about Charles and Camilla’s relationship for quite some time, but no one was prepared for the big announcement of their wedding in 2005. As far as royals go, remarrying wasn’t a common practice, but Charles was determined to give William and Harry a new mother figure in their lives.

With Charles’ second nuptials in place, the people expressed their shock and disappointment, especially since many considered Camilla as the cause behind Diana's depression! But that didn't stop the Prince of Wales from marrying his 'true love' – it was now or never.

Not the Best Image

Regardless of what the press says about Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, the people still had a hard time accepting her as a part of the British monarchy. It’s been years since Diana’s demise, but in the public’s eyes, she will always be the real princess. This perception has ultimately made things difficult for the royal family as well, and now they need to work together to combat the negativity.

But unbeknownst to everyone, William and Harry supported their dad, considering they've never seen him happier. It was probably a hard pill to swallow, but Camilla helped Charles become a better version of himself!

A Happy New Family

Many people didn't like Camilla from the beginning, but some began to change their minds when the handsome princes openly showed their approval for the Duchess of Cornwall. When asked about his opinion about his new stepmother, Harry quickly pointed out that she wasn't 'wicked' like how the media portrayed her to be.

After that revelation, the people’s perception toward Camilla presumably softened, and that was the start of a brand-new era for the monarchy. However, a dark cloud still hung over her since she had a secret that wasn’t disclosed for quite some time.

Meet the Other Brood

Charles showed off his new wife loud and proud while the world stood and watched Camilla transform into a full-blown royal. What the common folk didn’t realize was the duchess already has a son and a daughter with her ex-husband Andrew.

The children grew up close to each other, but they had different views when it came to how they dealt with their mother's newfound image. In particular, one didn't thrive in the limelight as much, while the other couldn’t care less. Fortunately, it took a while before the monarchy’s admirers gave them the time of day.

Camilla’s First Born

The Duchess of Cornwall’s son is Tom Parker Bowles, who made a name for himself as an author and a food critic. Unlike his mother, Tom was more active in the TV industry as he appeared several times in various shows, including Masterchef and The F-Word. Not only that, but Tom has also written and published many cookbooks throughout his career!

Based on how well he is doing, it's safe to say Tom has adjusted reasonably into the limelight, unlike his little sister. But according to insiders, there's a major reason why she keeps to herself – what could it be?

The Mysterious Daughter

Tom Parker Bowles wasn’t a stranger to being in front of the cameras, but his young sister, Laura Lopes, was another story. Camilla didn't intend to keep her daughter in the shadows, but it was Laura's decision to stay out of the media scene. However, she is often present in significant family events – royal or otherwise.

The only difference is, she prefers to maintain a low profile, something she’s done since her mother opened up about her relationship with the future King of England. One could only guess why she took it upon herself not to associate herself with the royals!

Who’s Laura Lopes?

Aside from being the Duchess of Cornwall’s only daughter, Laura Lopes began her career as a journalist for a famous magazine called Tatler. Interestingly enough, it’s also the same company where her brother Tom worked as a writer!

However, she decided to move on from that and open an art gallery instead, which she named Eleven. It's a far cry from the Windsors or the Parker Bowles’ endeavors, but it’s where Laura gained much success as an art curator. It’s safe to assume Laura was glad to have found something where she doesn’t need to be anyone else but herself.

Love and Kids

Like her mom, Laura found the love of her life in the royal circles. Harry Lopes, a former model for Calvin Klein, whom she married in 2006, wasn't exactly royalty, but his grandfather was a baron. On top of that, Harry shares the same bloodline as the ultra-rich Astor family - that’s almost as good as any prince, right?

Now the couple shares three kids – a daughter, Eliza, and twin boys, Gus and Louis. It seems they have the idyllic private life away from the hustle and bustle of media reporters. Perhaps, this is one of the many reasons why Laura wants to keep things in the down low!

Was There a Sibling Rivalry Brewing?

Laura has happily maintained an existence safely distanced from the monarchy, but that doesn't mean she hasn't met her stepbrothers, Prince William and Prince Harry. Throughout the years, there was a lot of guesswork surrounding the stepsiblings' real relationship – apparently, they didn't meet eye to eye once upon a time.

According to palace insiders, William and Laura had several arguments in the past about their broken families, and both have solid points why they blamed each other's parents for all the pain in their lives. Laura even reportedly resulted in saying Charles 'ruined' her life!

Things Have Changed

It took a bit of effort, but the two families blended naturally over time. The Parker Bowles were constantly invited to royal events; however, they only attended important affairs like William and Kate’s nuptials back in 2011. The wedding was also memorable for Laura as her daughter Eliza got the honor of walking down the aisle as a flower girl!

The Lopeses were also present during Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding shindig in 2018. One might think it's only the princes' doing all the extra work, but it was Laura who first invited her new siblings to her wedding in 2006 – everything has been smooth sailing since then.

Laura Might Be Titled Soon

Contrary to popular belief, it turns out even stepchildren of a royal may be granted a title. However, there's a condition that it's only after when one ascends to the throne! In Laura's case, there's an enormous possibility Prince Charles would allow her to become a countess or even a duchess when he takes over from Queen Elizabeth II.

And if the Prince of Wales does take that route, it means Laura would be a step higher on the social ladder. Although, there's a chance she would turn this down since she wants to be free from paparazzi.

Not Royal Material

Not everyone is lucky enough to be born with a silver spoon in their mouths, let alone be a royal! Some could only wish to be a part of their fancy way of life, while there are those who believe that even if they do have the opportunity to be one, they still won’t make the cut.

Both Laura and Tom agree that even if their mother is a duchess, they are far from royals themselves. They even went as far as calling themselves 'the common children' and only belong on the sidelines – ouch!

But Her Mom Adores Her

No matter what Laura thinks of her social standing, her mother Camilla makes it a point to include her in whatever way she can, albeit in little ways. Onlookers had noticed Laura gets the occasional shout out from the duchess, like when she showed pictures of Laura in the background during one of her meetings.

Additionally, it’s evident the mother and daughter tandem have a great relationship, even if they aren’t often seen together in public. Laura adores Camilla unlike any other woman in her life, so why does she avoid walking with the duchess as if her life depended on it?

Childhood Trauma

Apparently, the reason why Laura avoids the media like the plague stems back to when she and her brother Tom were just children. At the time, Prince Charles and Lady Diana just got hitched, but everyone was aware of Charles' romantic feelings for his ex, Camilla. The paparazzi followed their mother around every chance they got, even when Laura and Tom were around.

It was too much to bear for them, especially when Camilla wasn’t particularly well-liked and was always a subject of scrutiny. This went on for years, so imagine how much hatred the siblings developed for the press!

Media Mayhem

Growing up with the camera pointed to one’s face can get pretty annoying, especially when it becomes too much to handle. Sadly, it was a norm in Camilla’s family, and most people weren’t aware that they consistently warded off the press, more so as it was becoming a big problem for the kids’ safety.

Perhaps the most disturbing and intrusive thing the media has done was when they chased their car, hoping to snap pictures they could sell to the morning tabloids. It’s almost as if their life was a media circus, and Laura was the one who put her foot down and declared enough was enough.

Putting Up a Fight

Tom Parker Bowles handled all the attention they were getting, but he started to feel sorry for Laura, especially when he saw how it affected her personality greatly. Without hesitation, Tom declared the press was nothing but bullies and that they just irk him like no other – he'd smack them in the face if he could!

Meanwhile, Laura retained her composure, considering she wasn't as vocal about the media compared to Tom. But her silence only meant she wanted nothing to do with them at all, even if it meant she'd have to stay away from her own mother.

Too Shy for the Cam

Laura had the most difficult time adjusting to Camilla's newfound fame that grew even more profound when she married Charles. Her negative experience with the media wasn’t easy to forget, and it made her even more withdrawn as she got older.

Good thing the entire Parker Bowles clan were supportive and understanding of her decision, especially now that Laura has kids of her own – and the duchess agrees wholeheartedly. She obviously doesn’t want them to have the same harrowing ordeal and develop some form of childhood trauma. Distancing from the royals was the best decision Laura’s ever made!

Paparazzi Issues

Laura has gotten used to dealing with the paparazzi in her own way, and she tries to protect her dear kiddos Eliza, Gus, and Louis by keeping their activities as secret as possible. This way, they won’t become a target by unwanted photographers who are usually lurking nearby undetected.

Indeed, if it weren't for her bad experience with the media as a kid, she'd probably be more open and embrace her new almost-royal life. However, for her sanity's sake, Laura would much rather turn the spotlight to the Duchess of Cornwall so her good deeds would be highlighted instead of her mundane life as an art director.

The Grateful Duchess

A lot has happened in years following Charles’ divorce from Diana and remarrying Camilla, and the duchess knows she wouldn’t be where she is mentally and emotionally if it weren’t for the constant support her children have given her. Marrying into the royal family isn’t a decision one does overnight, and she wouldn't have done it without their blessing.

Tom and Laura were instrumental in helping Camilla transition into her new role with ease, especially with all the negative comments being thrown her way. It goes to show their bond didn't waver, not even for a minute – instead, they held each other up and battled everything as a family.

Onward to a Better Chapter

Media scrutiny has always been unrelenting, which is why public figures struggle to balance their private and public lives. For Charles and Camilla, they’ve lucked out since their former critics have already accepted their relationship.

Truthfully, they have the new breed of royals to thank as the press are more interested in their young families. Hopefully, Prince William and Prince Harry, along with their wives and kids, won’t have too much trouble handling the pressure of being the new faces of the British monarchy. This way, people like Laura Lopes won't have to worry about any paparazzi moving forward – it's a win-win situation for everyone!