How Camilla Gradually Eased Out Of Shadows Due To Princess Diana’s ‘Flirtatious’ Blunder

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles were thinking of a way how to make their relationship official in public, and they managed to capitalize on Princess Diana’s blunder.

In the book “The Firm,” royal author Penny Junor spoke with PR advisor Alan Kilkenny about the Duchess of Cornwall and the Princess of Wales. He said that just before Princess Diana passed away, Camilla managed to ease gradually out of the shadows.

“Camilla’s birthday party at Highgrove had gone well; Diana, meanwhile, had been attracting increasingly hostile publicity for her flirtatious behavior in the South of France with Dodi Al Fayed,” Junor said.

Around the same time, Camilla and Prince Charles decided to further capitalize on Princess Diana’s surprising behavior by planning on confirming their relationship to the entire world at the charity event for the National Osteoporosis Society.

“700 invitations had been sent out, at £100 apiece, and although nothing was official, there were plans for the Prince to pay a surprise visit to the party. It would have been a giant step along the path to making Camilla a legitimate partner of the Prince’s life – the phrase he used time and again – which was his ultimate goal,” Junor said.

Unfortunately, Prince Charles and Camilla weren’t able to push through with their plan because they found out that Princess Diana had been killed in a fatal car crash in Paris. Following the late royal’s death, Prince Charles and Camilla made sure to not step out in public together for fear that they would face backlash from royal fans.

Several years later, the future King decided to introduce Camilla first to Prince William before introducing her to Prince Harry. The two royals’ meeting turned out well.

In the book “William and Catherine,” royal biographer Andrew Morton said that the Duke of Cambridge’s acceptance of Prince Charles and Camilla’s relationship was crucial to the future of the couple’s union.

He said that if Prince William could accept Camilla, royal fans don’t have any reason not to do the same.