Queen Camilla's son Tom Parker Bowles married Sara (née Buys) in 2005 and welcomed children Lola, 16, and Freddy, 13, before they separated in 2018.
After their divorce was finalised in 2022, both the food writer, 48, and the fashion journalist, 50, remained tight-lipped about the end of their relationship. However, the Queen's former daughter-in-law has reflected on their time together, stating that they had a very "happy" relationship before their "dark" and "horrible" split.
© Getty"Divorce is horrible. The end of a relationship with someone you love is hard. It’s painful to think, 'How much of this is my fault? Have I messed up my life?' It was very dark," Sara told the Daily Mail.
"Of course you feel guilty for ever for hurting your kids, that’s never going to go away and I would rather we had stayed together as a family. But, fortunately, I’ve arrived at the conclusion that these things just happen. My marriage was a happy one until it wasn’t and I’ll always think of it in very affectionate terms," added Sara, who has launched styling service Wardrobe Revivals.
© GettyTom went on to find love with Alice Procope, granddaughter of the 2nd Viscount Ingleby, and they dated for almost two years before she passed away from cancer in March 2021 aged 42.
Opening up about her feelings about his relationship, Sara continued: "It’s not nice to read these things, but it’s not Tom’s fault. I was married to him long enough to understand that. It doesn’t make it any easier. But it is absolutely something you just need to understand."
Queen Camilla's son Tom also made a rare comment about his marriage during an interview with The Times. "Marriage is about compromise, about two people who might be rather different, but who love each other very much. Marriage is a wonderful thing in the long term, but there are ups and downs," he said.
© GettyTom and Sara met through friends and dated for five years before getting married in September 2005 at St Nicholas Church in Rotherfield Greys. Unearthed photos show the bride in a strapless fishtail wedding dress with fresh flowers in her hair and a long veil, while her husband looked dapper in a morning suit.
While she never considered herself to be part of the royal family, she said she finds it "hard to manage" that her mother-in-law is now the Queen. Despite her royal duties, Sara confessed that Camilla is a "very hands-on" grandmother to her two children behind closed doors.
Speaking of maintaining her relationship with her in-laws after her divorce, Sara explained: "She’s a really good granny, very hands-on and she’s never been anything but nice to me. If Tom and I are arguing, it’s between us. The long-term relationship between her and her grandchildren is what’s important and that’s never changed."
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