Wedding of King Charles III and Camilla Parker Bowles

by Susan Flantzer and Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

The Prince of Wales (later King Charles III) and Camilla Parker Bowles (later Queen Consort Camilla) were married in a civil ceremony on April 9, 2005, at the Windsor Guildhall in Windsor, England followed by a Service of Prayer and Dedication at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England.

The Family of Prince Charles

HRH Prince Charles Philip Arthur George was born on November 14, 1948, at Buckingham Palace, London. Charles was the first child of HRH Princess Elizabeth and her husband of one year, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, born HRH Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. Elizabeth was the elder daughter and the first of two children of King George VI and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, who was the youngest daughter and the ninth of ten children of Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. Philip’s father was HRH Prince Andrew of Greece, the son of King George I of Greece (formerly Prince William of Denmark) and Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia. His mother was Her Serene Highness Princess Alice of Battenberg. Alice was the daughter of Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine. During World War I, when King George V ordered his family to relinquish their German styles and titles, Prince Louis became Louis Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven. Princess Victoria’s mother was Princess Alice, a daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Therefore, Charles’ parents are both great-great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Charles’ parents added another child to the family, Princess Anne, born on August 15, 1950. Ill with lung cancer, King George VI died on February 6, 1952, and the 25-year-old Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II. Her duties as Queen postponed additions to the family. Prince Andrew was born eight years later on February 19, 1960, and Prince Edward was born on March 10, 1964.

As soon as his mother became Queen, Charles was the heir apparent to the throne and as the monarch’s eldest son became Duke of Cornwall. In the Scottish peerage, he became Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. Charles was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester on July 26, 1958. He was invested as Prince of Wales on July 1, 1969, at Caernarvon Castle in Wales.

On July 29, 1981, Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer in a lavish wedding held at St Paul’s Cathedral, London.  The couple had two sons – Prince William, born 1982, and Prince Henry (Harry), born 1984.  Charles and Diana divorced in 1996, and she was tragically killed the following year in a car accident in Paris.

The Family of Camilla Parker Bowles

Camilla with her mother

Camilla Rosemary Shand was born July 17, 1947, at King’s College Hospital in London.  She is the daughter of Major Bruce Shand and the Honourable Rosalind Cubitt, daughter of the 3rd Baron Ashcombe.  Camilla has a sister, Annabel Shand Elliot, and a brother Mark Shand.  In 1973, Camilla Shand married Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, and the couple had two children – a son Tom, born in 1974, and a daughter Laura, born in 1978.  Camilla and Andrew divorced in 1995.

The Engagement

Official Engagement photo, released by Clarence House

After many years of speculation, the engagement of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles was announced by Clarence House on February 10, 2005.  At this point, it was also announced that when Charles becomes King, “it is intended” that Camilla will use the title of Princess Consort instead of Queen.  It was announced that a civil marriage would take place on April 8th, followed by a Service of Prayer and Dedication at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.  This was later postponed until the 9th, allowing The Prince of Wales to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II in Rome.

Upon marriage, Mrs. Parker Bowles took on all of Prince Charles’ titles, including Princess of Wales.  However, out of respect for the late Diana, Princess of Wales, it was decided that she would be styled HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.

The Ring

Prince Charles presented Camilla with a ring that had belonged to his beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.  The 1930s Art Deco style ring, set in platinum, has an emerald cut diamond with three diamond baguettes on each side.  It is believed to have been part of the large collection of jewels inherited by The Queen Mother from Mrs. Ronald Greville.  At the time of the engagement, it was estimated to have a value of about £100,000.

The Wedding Attire

The Civil Ceremony
photo: John D. McHugh/AP

For the civil ceremony, Camilla wore a cream-colored silk chiffon dress, hemmed with vertical rows of appliqued woven disks.  This was topped with an oyster silk basket-weave coat with herringbone stitch embroidery.  Her hat, designed by Philip Treacy, was a straw hat overlaid with ivory French lace and trimmed with feathers.  The dress was designed by Robinson Valentine, London.

The Service of Prayer and Dedication

For the Service of Prayer and Dedication, she wore a floor-length pale blue and gold coat over a matching chiffon gown, designed by Robinson Valentine.  Her hat, again designed by Philip Treacy, was a headdress of gold-leafed feathers, tipped with Swarovski crystals, in her hair.

The Prince of Wales wore a traditional morning suit with gray pinstripe trousers.  He finished off his outfit with a heliborne from his gardens at Highgrove.

Mrs. Parker Bowles’ carried a small bouquet of flowers in shades of gray and cream, mixed with Lily of the Vally, all bound with the same silk as her dress.  Tucked in the bouquet was a small spring of myrtle, the traditional symbol of a happy marriage.

The Civil Marriage

The civil wedding ceremony took place on April 9, 2005, in the Guildhall, Windsor. Prince William and Tom Parker Bowles (Camilla’s son)  served as witnesses to the civil wedding ceremony, which was conducted by the Royal Borough’s Superintendent Registrar, Clair Williams.  The couple arrived in a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI from the Queen’s fleet, while the rest of the guests arrived by a small bus.  The ceremony took place in the Ascot Room within the Guildhall and lasted approximately 20 minutes.  Throughout the room were flowers cut from the Highgrove estate, as well as Raymill House, Camilla’s home nearby.  At the couple’s request, the flowers were donated to local hospices after the ceremony.  The couple exchanged rings, made of gold from the Clogau St David’s mine in Bontddu, North Wales, and designed by Wartski of London.  The Civil Ceremony was attended by members of both Charles’ and Camilla’s families.  The Queen did not attend, due to her position as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and the church’s rules regarding the marriage of divorced people.  The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh did, however, attend the Service of Prayer and Dedication.

Guests at the civil ceremony included:

Family of Prince Charles

  • Prince William of Wales, the groom’s son
  • Prince Harry of Wales, the groom’s son
  • The Duke of York, the groom’s brother
  • Princess Beatrice of York, the groom’s niece
  • Princess Eugenie of York, the groom’s niece
  • The Earl and Countess of Wessex, the groom’s brother and his wife
  • The Princess Royal and Rear Admiral Timothy Laurence, the groom’s sister and her second husband
  • Mr. Peter Phillips, the groom’s nephew
  • Miss Zara Phillips, the groom’s niece
  • Viscount and Viscountess Linley, the groom’s first cousin and his wife
  • Lady Sarah Chatto and Mr. Daniel Chatto, the groom’s first cousin and her husband
  • Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, the groom’s first cousin once removed

Family of Camilla Parker Bowles

  • Major Bruce Shand, the bride’s father
  • Mr. Tom Parker Bowles and Miss Sara Buys, the bride’s son and his partner
  • Miss Laura Parker Bowles and Mr. Harry Lopes, the bride’s daughter and her partner
  • Mr. Mark Shand, the bride’s brother
  • Mr. and Mrs. Simon (Annabel) Elliot, the bride’s sister and her husband
  • Mr. Ben Elliot, the bride’s nephew
  • Miss Katie Elliot, the bride’s niece
  • Mr. and Mrs. Luke (Alice) Irwin, the bride’s niece and her husband
  • Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Parker Bowles, the bride’s first husband and his second wife

Sources: BBC; Telegraph

The Service of Prayer and Dedication

At 2:30 that afternoon, a Service of Prayer and Dedication was held at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, presided over by The Archbishop of Canterbury.  Nearly 800 guests were in attendance.  Following the service, the couple posed for photographs on the steps of the chapel, before greeting some of the public who had gathered outside the chapel. These included representatives from some of the couple’s charities and organizations. They were then driven back to Windsor Castle for a reception in the State Apartments.

Guest at the Service of Prayer and Dedication included:

British Royal Family and Relatives

  • The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, the groom’s parents
  • Prince William of Wales, the groom’s son
  • Prince Henry of Wales, the groom’s son
  • The Duke of York, the groom’s brother
  • Princess Beatrice of York, the groom’s niece
  • Princess Eugenie of York, the groom’s niece
  • The Earl and Countess of Wessex, the groom’s brother and his wife
  • The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the groom’s sister and her second husband
  • Mr. Peter Phillips, the groom’s nephew
  • Miss Zara Phillips, the groom’s niece
  • Viscount and Viscountess Linley, the groom’s first cousin and his wife
  • Lady Sarah Chatto and Mr. Daniel Chatto, the groom’s first cousin and her husband
  • The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the groom’s first cousin once removed and his wife
  • The Duke and Duchess of Kent, the groom’s first cousin once removed, and his wife
  • The Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, the groom’s first cousin once removed and his wife
  • Princess Alexandra, Lady Ogilvy, the groom’s first cousin once removed
  • Lord and Lady Romsey, the groom’s second cousin and his wife

Family of Camilla Parker Bowles

  • Major Bruce Shand, the bride’s father
  • Mr. Tom Parker Bowles and Miss Sara Buys, the bride’s son and his partner
  • Miss Laura Parker Bowles and Mr. Harry Lopes, the bride’s daughter and her partner
  • Mr. Mark Shand, the bride’s brother
  • Mr. and Mrs. Simon (Annabel) Elliot, the bride’s sister and her husband
  • Mr. Ben Elliot, the bride’s nephew
  • Miss Katie Elliot, the bride’s niece
  • Mr. and Mrs. Luke (Alice) Irwin, the bride’s niece and her husband
  • Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Parker Bowles, the bride’s first husband and his second wife

Foreign Royalty

  • King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al-Khalif of Bahrain
  • King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes
  • Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway
  • Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Yugoslavia
  • Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands
  • Princess Margarita and Prince Radu of Romania
  • Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud and Princess Nouf of Saudi Arabia
  • Prince Bandar bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia

Viceroys

  • The Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda and Lady Carlisle
  • The Governor-General of Australia and Mrs. Jeffery
  • The Governor-General of Barbados and Mrs. Husbands
  • The Governor-General of Canada and John Ralston Saul
  • The Queen’s Representative in the Cook Islands and Lady Goodwin
  • The Governor-General of Grenada and Lady Williams
  • The Commonwealth Secretary-General and Clare de Lore
  • The Governor-General of New Zealand and Peter Cartwright
  • The Governor-General of Papua New Guinea and Lady Matane
  • The Governor-General of St. Christopher and Nevis

British Politicians

  • The Rt. Hon. Tony Blair, Prime Minister and Mrs. Blain
  • The Rt. Hon. Michael Howard, Conservative Party leader and Mrs. Howard
  • The Rt. Hon. Charles Kennedy, Liberal Democrat leader and Mrs. Kennedy
  • The Rt. Hon. Jack McConnell, First Minister of Scotland and Mrs. McConnell
  • The Rt. Hon. Rhodri Morgan, First Minister for Wales and Mrs. Morgan
  • The Rt. Hon. Paul Murphy, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
  • The Honourable Nicholas Soames, Shadow Defence Secretary

Religious Representatives

  • Rowan Williams, The Archbishop of Canterbury and Mrs. Williams
  • The Rt, Rev. and Rt. Hon The Lord and Lady Carey of Clifton
  • The Rt. Rev. Dean of Windsor and wife
  • The Rev. Canon Doctor Hueston Finlay and Mrs. Finlay
  • The Rev. Canon Laurence Gunner and Mrs. Gunner
  • The Rev. Canon John Ovenden and Mrs. Ovenden
  • The Rev, Canon John White

Other Notable Guests

  • Rowan Atkinson, actor
  • Sanjeev Bhaskar, actor
  • Melvyn Bragg, Baron Bragg, broadcaster and author
  • Paddy Campbell, fashion designer
  • Phil Collins, singer
  • Jilly Cooper, novelist
  • Jonathan Dimbleby, British presenter
  • Edward Fox, actor and Joanna David
  • David Frost, broadcaster
  • Stephen Fry, actor
  • Valentino Garavani, fashion designer
  • Lady Annabel Goldsmith, socialite
  • Richard E. Grant, actor
  • Robert Harris, author
  • Ronald Harwood, playwright
  • Sir Stephen Lamport, former private secretary to the prince
  • Joanna Lumley, actress and ambassador for Prince’s Trust
  • Martina Milburn, chief executive of the Prince’s Trust
  • Simon Sebag Montefiore, biographer, novelist and journalist
  • William Rees-Mogg, former editor of The Times
  • Joan Rivers, comic
  • Prunella Scales, actress
  • William Shawcross, writer and broadcaster
  • Trudie Styler, actor and producer
  • Philip Treacy, milliner
  • Christopher Warren-Green, conductor
  • Timothy West, actor
  • Staff from Clarence House, Highgrove House, Birkhall, and Sandringham

Sources: BBC; Telegraph

The Reception

photo: Hugo Burnand, Pool/Getty Images

Following the service, the Queen hosted a reception in the State Apartments at Windsor Castle.  Items on the menu included smoked salmon, roast venison with Balmoral redcurrant and port jelly, egg and cress sandwiches, potted shrimp rolls, and mini Cornish pastries.  Mrs. Ethel Richardson, of Wales, provided 20 fruit cakes at the request of the Prince of Wales.  After a toast of Duchy champagne, the couple left to begin their honeymoon.  The wedding cake was made by Dawn Blunden, owner of a cake shop in Lincolnshire.

Source: BBC; Netty’s Royalty Page

The Honeymoon

Following the reception, the newlywed couple departed for Birkhall, Prince Charles’ home on the Balmoral Estate in Scotland.  Princes William and Harry had decorated the car which was taking them from the castle.  The words “Prince” and “Duchess” were written on the windshield, with “Just Married” written on the back.  Bunches of red, white, and yellow metallic balloons had also been tied to the car. The Prince and Duchess boarded a plane at RAF Northolt for their flight to Aberdeen.

Source: BBC; Netty’s Royalty Page

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