King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort.Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Queen CamillaisKing Charles' calming force.
The Queen Consort, 75, is known to bring out the best in her husband and is supporting him more than ever ahead of hishistoric coronationon May 6.
“She is the yin to his yang,” a close palace insider tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s issue. “She is the type to say, ‘It’ll all be fine; let’s crack on and get on with things.’ "
Charles and Camilla met in 1970 through mutual friend Lucia Santa Cruzand clicked instantly. The then-Prince of Wales was encouraged to find a virginal bride, and Camilla went on to marry army officerAndrew Parker Bowles. Charles wedPrincess Dianaa few years later — though his romance with Camilla continued.
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After Diana famously said “there were three of us in the marriage,” the press branded Camilla Parker Bowles “the most hated woman in Britain.” Charles and Diana divorced in 1996, and her tragic death the following year cast Charles and Camilla’s relationship back into the shadows. Charles' staff worked to remedy Camilla’s public image as the “other woman,” and they felt confident enough to marry in 2005.
The Queen Consort has since been steadfast in the spotlight, preparing for the day she’d support Charles as King.
“I learned that your place is several feet behind the monarch,” she toldThe Australian Women’s Weeklyof her role. “You’re there as a backup.”
Royal biographer Christopher Wilson, who studied the couple in the bookA Greater Love, tells PEOPLE that Camilla soothes Charles in a way no one else can.
“Her presence reassures him,” Wilson says. “Despite all the trappings of majesty, it’s cold and lonely at the top, and it’s easy to see the comfort she provides him.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla.Hugo Burnand / Buckingham Palace
“She calmed him down. She’s got an amazing way to soothe him,” royal photographer Arthur Edwards says. What’s more, when appropriate, Camilla brings a little levity to royal responsibilities.
“She never lost her common touch,” Edwards tells PEOPLE. “She makes him laugh. When something triggers them, you see them just laughing together. They do things with such enthusiasm.”
Her devotion to Charles and dedication to duty inspiredQueen Elizabeth’s lastAccession Daymessage, where she shared it was her “sincere wish” that Camilla be known as Queen Consort when Charles acceded one day.
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Though their relationship had a rocky start, asQueen Elizabethstruggled with the nature of Charles and Camilla’s relationship, they bonded over a mutual love of country life. The Queen also appreciated Camilla’s enthusiasm for her royal role through the years.
As she prepares to take her place beside King Charles andbe crowned as Queenat Westminster Abbey, Camilla will gracefully embrace the world stage.
“They work well as a team. It’s impressive,” Wilson tells PEOPLE of their partnership.
source: people.com
