From her days as a duchess to her wedding to King Charles, see timeless photos of Queen Camilla over the years
Credit: David M. Benett/Getty; ROTA/Anwar Hussein Collection/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Queen Camilla celebrated her 79th birthday on July 17
- Before marrying King Charles in 2005, she was married to Andrew Parker Bowles, with whom she shares two adult children
- Camilla’s sister Annabel Elliot described watching her coronation as “so surreal” in a BBC documentary
Happy Birthday, Queen Camilla!
The Queen Consort celebrated her 79th birthday on July 17, marking nearly eight decades spent both inside and outside the royal spotlight. Ahead of turning 75 in July 2022, she told British Vogue that she no longer gave much thought to birthdays.
“I let them come and go,” she said. “I mean, I’d be very happy to turn back the clock. When you get to any big number, whether it’s 30, 50, 70, you think: ‘God, that’s so old’ … I think you just accept that you are who you are. You get to be a 75-year-old.”
Camilla (née Rosemary Shand) was previously married to Andrew Parker Bowles, with whom she shares two children. A decade after their divorce in 1995, she wed a then-Prince Charles. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth, Charles acceded to the throne in 2022, and Camilla was by his side.
From her pre-royal days to her wedding to King Charles, here are 10 vintage photos of Queen Camilla in honor of her birthday.
01 of 10
Camilla and her sister, Annabelle, at a family wedding in 1952
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Decades before she would become queen consort, Camilla and her younger sister, Annabel Elliot, were flower girls at Jeremy Cubitt and Diana du Cane’s wedding in 1952.
The two have remained close throughout the years, with Anabel serving as Camilla’s “companion,” a modernized term for “lady-in-waiting.” In the 2023 BBC documentary Charles III: The Coronation, she said it was “so surreal” to watch her older sibling be crowned queen.
02 of 10
Camilla and Charles in 1972
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The eventual monarchs first met in 1970 after they were introduced by a mutual friend, per Penny Junor’s 2017 book The Duchess: The Untold Story.
They briefly dated before splitting up, and Camilla went on to wed Parker Bowles in 1973.
03 of 10
Camilla at the Queen’s Cup polo match in 1992
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In June 1992, Camilla was photographed while attending the Queen’s Cup polo match at Windsor. At the time, she donned a light gray suit with a pop of color blouse.
04 of 10
Camilla attending a party in October 1995
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Camilla was seen arriving at a party for her friend Lady Sarah Keswick in October 1995. Her outfit was accessorized with a red patterned shawl and a pearl choker necklace.
05 of 10
Camilla playing polo in 1995
Credit: Mathieu Polak/Sygma/ Sygma via Getty
As seen in this 1995 throwback, Camilla’s love for polo is well-documented.
She reportedly told an instructor during a June 2023 visit to the British Racing School that she always keeps polo mints in her pockets to feed the horses, per ITV.
06 of 10
Camilla leaving a party in November 1996
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One year after her outing for Lady Keswick’s event, Camilla appeared to wear a similar look for another event, including opting for a black dress again.
07 of 10
Camilla arriving at a party in 1998
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In this 1998 photo, Camilla can be seen donning a light colored dress with a patterned blazer. She completed her look with a simple pearl necklace and matching clutch.
08 of 10
Camilla at a London party in 1998
Credit: Dave Benett/Getty
That same year, Camilla was by her brother Mark Shand’s side at a special event. This time, she opted for a black-on-black outfit.
09 of 10
Camilla during her wedding to Charles
Credit: Anwar Hussein Collection/ROTA/WireImage
Camilla and Charles married in a low-key royal ceremony on April 9, 2005. Afterward, she received the title of Duchess of Cornwall.
10 of 10
Camilla on her honeymoon in 2005
Credit: ROTA/Anwar Hussein Collection/Getty
During the couple’s honeymoon in April 2005, they attended their first joint official engagement at the opening of a children’s playground in Ballater, Scotland.
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