Camilla Parker-Bowles’ Dad Didn’t Like Prince Charles, Preferred This Man Over Royal

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip reportedly didn’t approve of Camilla Parker Bowles for Prince Charles, but the Duchess of Cornwall's father apparently didn't like the future king as well.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall dated each other before they married their first spouses, Princess Diana and Andrew Parker Bowles. However, their romance didn’t end up in marriage at the time because the people around them weren’t very supportive.

According to reports, the royal family didn’t like Camilla for the future prince because she was not aristocratic enough and was not a “virgin.” The royal family didn’t like an “experienced” woman to be Prince Charles’ queen.

Camilla’s father felt the same for the heir. Sally Bedell Smith claimed in her book, “ Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life,” that her father, Bruce Shand, is not fond of Prince Charles.

Shand, an officer in the British Army who fought in World War II, preferred Andrew for Camilla. In fact, he grew impatient when Andrew didn’t ask for her hand in marriage even after they dated for some time.

Shand and Andrew’s brother reportedly worked together to publish an engagement notice in a newspaper in order to pressure Andrew into proposing to Camilla. And Andrew responded in the way they expected him to. He proposed to the Duchess of Cornwall and they got married in 1973.

However, seven years later, Camilla and Prince Charles’ affair was publicized. Shand didn’t like the news and called for a private meeting with Prince Charles where he accused the future monarch of “ruining his daughter’s life.” Prince Charles was reportedly in tears after the meeting and rumors suggested that the two men had more confrontations after that.

“I think [Shand] was completely frank with him, but they never came to blows,” a source said.

Shand eventually put his ill feelings aside and supported Prince Charles and Camilla’s romance. He attended their wedding in 2005 and even said that Prince Charles would “make a perfect king.”

The royal family also did the same. Queen Elizabeth II eventually approved Camilla and Her Majesty warmed up to her daughter-in-law. The Queen recognized Camilla in her speech for Prince Charles’ 70th birthday last November.​​

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