Camilla Rosemary Shand was born at King’s College Hospital in London on July 17, 1947. Her parents were the Hon. Rosalind Cubitt and Major Bruce Shand, a businessman and former British Army officer. Her mother came from the aristocracy; she is the daughter of Roland Cubitt, 3rd Baron Ashcombe. Camilla’s younger siblings, Mark Shand and Annabel Elliot, are both younger than her.

Camilla had an early affinity with reading because of her father’s encouragement. She grew up with a strong love for animals. She learned to ride a horse and was an excellent gymnast.

Camilla was five years old, when she commenced at the coeducational Dumbrells school in Ditchling village. She attended Queen’s Gate School, which was near her London home, when she was ten years old. Her friends called her “Milla” when she went to Queen’s Gates. She is described by her friend Twinkle (Lynn Ripley) as a girl who exudes “magnetism and confidence” and has “inner strength.” In 1964, At  the age of 16, Her parents felt she would benefit from attending  Mont Fertile finishing school  in Switzerland after completing her 1 O-levels at Queen’s Gate, rather than doing her A levels. After this Camilla,  went on to study French and French literature at the University of London Institute in Paris for six months.

She made her debut to London Society in 1965. Camilla   married Andrew Parker Bowles on 4 July 1973 in a Roman Catholic ceremony at the Guards’ Chapel, Wellington Barracks, in London. Shand was 25 years old and Parker Bowles 33.  Both Andrew and Camilla had been in the royal friendship circle of both Charles and Anne for years. Many have speculated, that Charles and Camilla were seeing each other whilst she was courting Andrew and Charles was deeply saddened by Camilla’s marriage to Andrew.

They had 2 children, Tom and Laura (born 1 January 1978). Tom is a godson of King Charles.

After alot of press speculation and leaks, it was reported that Andrew and Camilla’s marriage had dissolved years before.  Andrew was reported to be seeing other women and Camilla had resumed a relationship.December 1994, after 21 years of marriage, the couple issued divorce proceedings on the grounds they had been living separately for years. They were divorced in January 1995 at the High Court Family Division in London.

On 9 April 2005, the marriage ceremony was held. King Charles and Camilla wed in a civil service with a service of blessing after.

Although Camilla was a Roman Catholic and a divorcee. Queen Elizabeth gave her public and private blessing for Camilla to a become Queen Consort when Charles became King.  She became Queen on September 8th 2022 and was crowned alongside her husband on May 6th 2023.

Wikipedia
Royal Mint
Brittanica