When Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles on April 9, 2005, the world watched closely – not just for the long-awaited union, but for who would be in attendance. While many senior royals were present, including Charles’ sons, Princes William and Harry, one notable figure was missing from the civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall: Queen Elizabeth II.
The absence of the monarch from her son’s wedding raised eyebrows at the time. After all, this was a major personal milestone for Charles and a relationship that had weathered decades of controversy and scrutiny. Many speculated that her non-attendance reflected lingering disapproval. But as would later be discovered, the truth behind her decision was far more nuanced – and far less frosty than it might first appear.
Despite speculation at the time, the Queen’s decision not to attend the ceremony had little to do with personal feelings – and everything to do with protocol. According to Charles’s official biographer, Jonathan Dimbleby, Her Majesty had made her stance clear well in advance.
“The Prince would have liked the Queen to be there,” Dimbleby explained in 2005. “But she had been absolutely adamant… not because she was against the wedding, but because, as the supreme governor of the Church of England, you don’t do civil ceremonies.”
Because both Charles and Camilla were divorced, they were married in a civil ceremony – not a church wedding – followed by a blessing at St George’s Chapel. While the Queen upheld her religious and royal duties by staying away from the ceremony itself, her actions later that day would silence any doubts about her true feelings toward the newly married couple.
Later that day, the Queen joined the newlyweds and guests at the reception — and it was here that she delivered a speech that would not only defuse any lingering tension but also charm the entire room.
With her trademark wit, she compared Charles and Camilla’s turbulent journey to a horse race – a nod to the fact that their wedding day happened to coincide with the Grand National, a favourite sporting occasion for the Queen. “They have overcome Becher’s Brook and The Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles,” she said, “They have come through and I’m very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves.”
The speech was met with laughter and love, with author Jilly Cooper, a guest on the day, revealing: “Everyone was in stitches… It was such a lovely, affectionate tribute.”
For a couple who had long faced criticism and controversy, the Queen’s speech marked a turning point. Not only did it dispel any lingering sense of royal disapproval, but it also gave the public a clear signal: Camilla had Queen Elizabeth II’s full support.
Royal biographer Penny Junor later described the speech as “perfect,” adding that it “laid to rest any lingering notion that [the Queen] might still disapprove.”
While Her Majesty may have opted out of the official ceremony due to religious protocol, her warm words and public presence at the reception sealed her approval in a way above any formal attendance. Two decades later, that moment is remembered as the one that helped smooth the path for Camilla – not only as Charles’s wife, but eventually, as official Queen Consort.
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