Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall opens up about marriage to Prince Charles

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is opening up about her marriage to Prince Charles in a candid interview.

In honor of her 75th birthday in July, Camilla spoke to British Vogue in a rare interview about her personal and professional life, including how she navigates her busy work schedules while maintaining her relationship with Prince Charles, 73.

Jamie Hawksworth / British Vogue

“It’s not easy sometimes, but we do always try to have a point in the day when we meet,” she shared. “Sometimes it’s like ships passing in the night, but we always sit down together and have a cup of tea and discuss the day.”

Camilla also noted “it’s lovely to catch up” when she and her husband “have a bit of time.”

“You know when we go away, the nicest thing is that we actually sit and read our books in different corners of the same room,” she explained. “It’s very relaxing because you know you don’t have to make conversation.”

“You just sit and be together,” she added.

The royal couple first met at a polo match in 1970, and were said to have an instant connection. They remained close friends throughout their respective marriages — Charles to Diana, Princess of Wales, and Camilla to Andrew Parker-Bowles — until their affair became public to the press in 1992. Camilla and Andrew announced that they would divorce in 1995. Charles and Diana divorced in 1996, and Diana died one year later.

In 1998, Charles introduced sons Prince William and Prince Harry to Camilla and by 2000, Queen Elizabeth attended lunch with both Charles and Camilla, signifying her approval of the couple. The pair later tied the knot in 2005.

During the chat with Vogue, Camilla also reflected on the level of media scrutiny on her family in the 1990s, saying “it’s not easy.”

“I was scrutinized for such a long time that you just have to find a way to live with it,” she said. “Nobody likes to be looked at all the time and, you know, criticized…”

She continued, “But I think in the end, I sort of rise above it and get on with it. You’ve got to get on with life.”

Earlier this year, the Queen, 96, made her feelings known in a message timed to the eve of her Accession Day which marked the 70th anniversary of her becoming monarch.

Queen Elizabeth was “looking to the future” as she shared her wish for Camilla to be known as Queen Consort when Charles takes the throne.

In the conversation with the fashion magazine, Camilla discussed her work with survivors of domestic violence. She shared her intention to continue to “carry on as much as I can” when she becomes Queen Consort.

“You can’t desert things that you’re in the middle of,” she said. “There’s a lot of things to be done still.”

The July issue of British Vogue is available via digital download and is on newsstands from Tuesday 21st June.