Camilla Parker Bowles‘ marriage to King Charles was criticized by many, including the then-Queen Elizabeth herself. Their marriage has been a topic of hot debate for decades. After all, Camilla wasn’t Charles’ first wife. In fact, Charles’ affair with Camilla began while he was married to Princess Diana.

According to Today, Princess Diana even confronted Camilla about the affair in 1989, as detailed by Andrew Morton in his book,  Diana: Her True Story, In Her Own Words. 

“I said: ‘Camilla, I would just like you to know that I know exactly what is going on between you and Charles, I wasn’t born yesterday,’” Morton wrote in the book, recounting Diana’s account. “I said to Camilla: ‘I’m sorry I’m in the way, I obviously am in the way, and it must be hell for both of you, but I do know what is going on. Don’t treat me like an idiot.’”

At one point in her marriage to Charles, Diana reportedly threw herself down a staircase while pregnant, according to her own accounts. Princess Diana, however, was dubbed the “People’s princess” and was beloved by many. However, she tragically died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. Following her death, Charles chose to marry Camilla, with whom he had been having an affair. However, various members of the royal family disapproved of the marriage.

The wedding took place at Windsor Guildhall, and Queen Elizabeth was famously absent from it. A royal spokesperson later spoke on the matter, revealing why the queen didn’t attend the wedding. “The Queen decided not to attend the civil ceremony at Windsor’s Guildhall because the couple wanted to keep the ceremony low-key, and her presence would not allow that to happen,” the spokesperson stated.

However, the queen later congratulated the newlyweds while making a speech at the reception. “They have overcome Becher’s Brook and The Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles,” the Queen 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.”

Charles had known Camilla since the early 1970s, long before their marriage drew public scrutiny following Diana’s death. The two met through a mutual friend at a polo match in 1970. The two instantly fell in love. However, Charles could not marry her at the time since the royal establishment deemed Camilla “unsuitable” to be a future queen.

That said, Prince Harry has been vocal about his disdain for Queen Camilla in his book, even claiming that the change of date for the couple’s marriage was a “force of the universe (Mummy?)” blocking “their union.” There have been reports in the past that Prince William does not approve of Camilla either, largely because many viewed her relationship with King Charles as a major factor in the breakdown of his marriage to Princess Diana.