Queen seen driving 'is important for Palace' says host

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Prince Charles was the most senior royal at this week’s COP26 leaders summit, which he branded the “last-chance saloon” to save the planet. The Queen stayed at Windsor Castle after doctors advised her to stay home and rest, sending a pre-recorded message to leaders instead. In her message, the monarch praised both Charles and Prince William for their work in environmental campaigning. Their wives Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge both joined them in Glasgow.

Charles and Camilla married in 2005, but their relationship goes back much further, ever since they first met back in the early seventies.

Princess Diana famously said there were “three of us in this marriage” in her interview with Martin Bashir, suggesting Camilla had been a factor in the breakdown of her marriage to the Prince of Wales.

Investigative author Tom Bower claimed the Queen did not approve of Charles and Camilla’s relationship, even when they were both divorced.

He wrote for the Mail in 2018: “For years, both the Queen and her mother had refused to have anything to do with Charles’ mistress.

“Not only did they not want her present at any royal function, either formal or informal; they actively disapproved of her, and of Charles’ relationship with her.”

Mr Bower claimed that, after growing increasingly frustrated, Charles confronted his mother about it at Balmoral.

Charles allegedly asked the monarch to “soften her antagonism” so he could “live openly with Camilla”.

He hoped that the Queen would at least not forbid him from doing so.

Mr Bower wrote: “But on that evening she’d had several martinis, and to Charles’ surprise she replied forcefully: she would not condone his adultery, nor forgive Camilla for not leaving Charles alone to allow his marriage to recover.”

The Queen reportedly accused Charles of lying about his relationship with “that wicked woman” Camilla, and yelled “I want nothing to do with her”.

Charles is said to have stormed out, and could not forget his mother calling Camilla “that wicked woman”.

Mr Bower said the Prince of Wales “tearfully” called Camilla. He was “distraught”.

Her Majesty’s resentment reportedly stemmed from the now-infamous Bashir interview.

Both the Queen and Prince Philip are said to have told Charles that he “could not rebuild his image” until he split from Camilla.

Charles reportedly turned to some “more sophisticated” tactics after speaking to his mother.

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Mr Bower said he invited both the Queen and Camilla to a 60th birthday celebration for King Constantine of Greece.

Both attended, but the Queen allegedly refused to be introduced to Camilla.

The turning point in the relationship proved to be the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002.

The Queen changed her mind on inviting Camilla to the funeral after Charles’ emotional tribute to the Queen Mother on TV, Mr Bower wrote.

Her Majesty did not attend Charles and Camilla’s wedding in 2005.

However, The Telegraph reported at the time that she had told a friend it would have gone against the moral compass of her position as the head of the Church of England.

She reportedly said: “I am not able to go. I do not feel that my position… permits it.”

At the wedding celebration the same day, the Queen welcomed Camilla to the “winner’s enclosure”, as the wedding fell on the same day as the Grand National.

As reported by Vanity Fair in 2018, she said: “I’m very proud and wish them well.

“My son is home and dry with the woman he loves.”

Camilla and the Queen enjoy a good relationship now, according to royal expert Howard Hodgson.

He told Express.co.uk: “Those two ladies [Camilla and Sophie, Countess of Wessex], the Queen absolutely adores them.

“The Queen gets on very well with Camilla. She didn’t really understand, and was probably guilty of believing what she might not have read, but had been told.”

Mr Hodgson said Camilla and Kate are helping to paint an incredibly strong picture of the Royal Family, and are enhancing its reputation.

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