Royal Heartbreak: Princes William, Harry NEVER Happy With Prince Charles, Camilla Engagement
Prince William and Prince Harry certainly did not approve their father's infidelity, that even on the day Prince Charles got engaged with Camilla Parker Bowles, they offered nothing but the same emotion.
Prince Charles and Camilla announced their relationship in 1999, which was two years after Princess Diana's tragic death in Paris. Because of the incident, Camilla struggled in winning the approval of the Queen, citizens, and Royal watchers as Prince Charles' new partner.
However, while the approval of the royal family was certainly a big deal, the real reason why Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall delayed their marriage was mainly because of the "sensitivity towards" Prince William and Prince Harry.
The Effect of Charles-Camilla Relationship
As excerpted in the 2005 book "The Firm" by Penny Junor, a royal biographer, Prince Charles and Camilla did not want to force Prince William and Prince Harry to meet and accept a stepmother wholeheartedly before they had fully grown up. They also took note of the sudden death of Princess Diana, which affected the two princes emotionally and mentally.
"Accepting Camilla as a fixture in their father's life has been difficult for them," Junor stated in the book.
Princes William and Harry knew that Camilla caused the grief and misery of their late mother and how Princess Diana became an "extra" for so long in the veiled relationship of Prince Charles and the now Duchess of Cornwall.
What Princes William, Harry Really Felt Over The Engagement
The Duke of Cambridge and Sussex, who already entered adulthood, still found it somewhat difficult to see their father marrying someone else.
On April 9, 2005, Prince Charles and Camilla finally tied the knot at Windsor Guildhall. They also had a service at St. George's Chapel to receive a special marital blessing since, at the time of their engagement, the Church of England could not support second marriages if a spouse was still living (which was the case of Camilla's ex, Andrew Parker Bowles).
Though the then-22-year-old Prince William and then-20 Prince Harry helped Prince Charles and their stepmother during their "big day," their real feelings were later revealed by a veteran royal correspondent.
According to the 2006 book "William's Princess" by Robert Jobson, the author wrote, "While Palace officials struggled to pull together the chaotic arrangements, they were forced to address a question they might rather have ignored."
Jobson stated what the two, most especially Prince William, felt about the wedding.
Instead of the official line that they were "delighted" because they got to see Prince Charles happy again, the royal correspondent corrected it and said that the royal sons' mood was "more one of 'acceptance' than undiluted joy."
In addition, Prince William had to act for his brother as the eldest and since he was the most attached to his late mother. Being the de facto spokesman, his blessing for Prince Charles and Camilla was the most important one.
Prince William Only Wanted the Best for Princess Diana
Prince William, who was only 14 years old when his parents Prince Charles and Princess Diana filed a divorce, already showed his unconditional love for his mother.
Despite his young age, William left words of love for her mother and helped her survive the tormenting event.
The narrator of "Prince William: Royalty in My Family" claimed that the Duke of Cambridge wanted to end Princess Diana's suffering as soon as possible. However, a speedy divorce meant Princess Diana would need to give up her royal title.
"You'll still be mummy," Prince William said, trying to comfort his mother.
With the close relationship he established with his late mother, it was only natural for Prince William to feel that way towards Prince Charles and Camilla's ties.
