Is Prince Charles really planning to marryCamilla Parker Bowles 20 years after his firstwedding? The “Will they-won’t they”questionkeeps popping up and the Prince’s office nolonger issues the categorical denials it once did.
Last month at a charity evening in London, hekissed Camilla in public for the first time,agesture that seemed to say:“Like her or loatheher, she’s here to stay.” Days later he dropped aheavy hint that a second marriage was more thana possibility.
His answer was immediately interpreted as: “Yes, with a bit of luck.” Now most royal-watchers are convinced that Charles plans to marry Camilla and make her his Queen. So, it seems are many bookmakers who have slashed the odds of them marrying from 10/1 to 5/1. The Camilla factor overshadows everything else in the Prince’s life. If he doesn’t marry her, he will, in the eyes of the Church of England, be living in sin. If he does marry her,he will be flouting the laws of the Church of England, which at present does not sanction the remarriage of divorcés, especiallythose who are the guilty party in a marriage break-up.
Then there is another hurdle which Charles and his lover must cross before they can live happilyever after. Under an archaic law,the 1701 Act of Settlement, Charles must ask his mother’s permission to marry. As Supreme Governor of theChurch of England,this presents the Queen with a dreadful dilemma. She will be forced to choose between the happiness of her son and her duty tothe Church she has served faithfully all her life.
Naturally, when torn by such a decision, the Queen would turn to her Prime Minister for advice – but he may be loath to become involvedas the Charles and Camilla controversy is a political minefield. If Tony Blair gives his assent to the match,many voters who are unwilling to accept Camilla as our next Queen could turn against the Government. If he refuses to sanctionthe marriage,others may feel he is robbing the couple of the happiness they deserve – and valuable votes could be lost at the next election.
Nevertheless,the Prince’s determination to win acceptance for the woman he loves will not be daunted. Over the past two and a half yearsthe couple have progressed from hiding their love to slowly emerging as a public couple. Today their relationship causes no shock waves – butwould a wedding announcement change all that
The possibility of Camilla becoming the new Princess of Wales would certainly disturb many people. Fairly or not, Camilla is still regarded as the woman who destroyed Diana’s happiness. The late Princess’ damning statement “There were three of us in the marriage ” remains her most un-forgettable utterance.
Prince Charles is very much aware of all this,yet he presses on with plans to make Camilla his ex-officio consort. The best solution to his problem could be the separation of Church and state. If the Church of England was disestablished (notsuch a remote possibility) he could marry without hindrance. But such an important change in thesocial fabric of Britain may not come soon enough to help this beleaguered couple.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
