A Look Back At Charles & Camilla’s Wedding

It’s been 20 years since Charles and Camilla tied the knot – but what was their wedding actually like? Here we take a look back at 9 April 2005.

A Look Back At Charles & Camilla’s 2005 Wedding

On 9 April 2005, Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles were married in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall, the town hall just 100 metres away from Castle Hill which leads to royal residence, Windsor Castle. The ceremony itself was small and private with just 28 guests, but 20,000 people gathered and cheered outside the Guildhall. Afterwards, around 800 of the couple’s families and friends gathered for a service of blessing at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. It is here that Charles’ second son, Harry, would marry Meghan around 13 years later.

Twenty years on, the synergies are clear: as Charles and Camilla celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary in Italy, they combine the trip with a meeting with Pope Francis, who has been suffering grave illness over the last few months. Back in 2005, Charles and Camilla’s nuptials were postponed by one day from 8 to 9 April so Charles could attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II, who passed on 2 April 2005 (and to allow other world figures to attend both the funeral and Charles’ wedding).

A far cry from the pomp and glitz of Charles’ much-discussed and watched wedding to Diana – which took place almost a quarter of a century prior, in London’s St Paul’s Cathedral – Charles’ wedding to Camilla nonetheless attracted conversation, and considerable scandal. Charles became the very first royal in history to marry in a civil ceremony after the Archbishop of Canterbury refused the couple’s marriage within the Anglican church, Camilla being a divorcee. But planning a civil ceremony came with its own troubles, from legal definitions to the venue itself.

Eight years after the tragic passing of Princess Diana, Charles’ decision to marry Camilla Parker Bowles was always going to be controversial. By the time they wed in 2005, the duo had 30 years of romantic history. Diana has always had a loyal legion of fans – but it wasn’t the public perception that put the couple off tying the knot after her death. In fact, the most opinionated party on the topic was Queen Elizabeth, the queen mother – mother of Queen Elizabeth II and grandmother of Charles. Her passing in 2002 left very few members of the royal family in opposition to Charles and Camilla’s nuptials.

Where Did Charles & Camilla Get Married?

Charles and Camilla were married in a private civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall on 9 April 2005, followed by a blessing at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. Why not just get married in St George’s Chapel? Because the property did not have a license for civil partnerships. Windsor Guildhall was chosen as the site of Charles and Camilla’s civil ceremony because, if St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle applied to be licensed for civil ceremonies, it would have to open its doors to other prospective couples for at least three years.

Was The Queen There?

No, Queen Elizabeth II chose not to attend Charles and Camilla’s civil ceremony, and neither did Charles’ father Prince Phillip. The decision was made so as to keep the ceremony low key, with the Queen and Phillip hosting the reception for the newlyweds at Windsor Castle. Elizabeth donned a white gown (in contrast to Camilla’s blue) and delivered a speech likening the couple’s relationship to a race at the Grand National – which was taking place later in the afternoon.

Speaking of low key, Charles and Camilla opted not for a sit down dinner but for an evening of canapes at their reception, which was attended by stars across the board. Think Stephen Fry, Jilly Cooper, Joanna Lumley, Joan Rivers and Richard E Grant. More striking guests include Camilla’s first husband Andrew Parker-Bowles, and Jonathan Dimbleby, the TV presenter to whom Charles famously admitted he had committed adultery with Camilla while still married to Diana.