The British royal family was rocked by shocking health announcements in 2024. King Charles III and his daughter-in-law Catherine, the Princess of Wales, commonly known as Kate Middleton, both revealed they had been diagnosed with cancer. As they began undergoing treatment, the focus turned to their spouses, who had to step up in their absence in the public space. Charles’ wife, Queen Camilla, in particular, began to receive public recognition and support after years of being negatively perceived.

Queen Camilla was born Camilla Rosemary Shand on July 17, 1947, in London, England. Her father, Bruce Shand, was a British Army officer, and her mother, Rosalind Cubitt, came from a wealthy British aristocratic family.

In 1973, Camilla married British Army officer Andrew Parker Bowles. They had two children together, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, before divorcing in 1995.

Camilla’s relationship with Charles began in the early 1970s before either of them was married. However, they went their separate ways, with Charles eventually marrying Princess Diana in 1981. Following Diana’s death in 1997, Charles and Camilla resumed their relationship, and they were married in a civil ceremony in 2005.

The negative views toward Camilla largely stem from her relationship with Charles during his marriage to Diana. Camilla was seen as a factor in the breakdown of Charles and Diana’s marriage. There were widespread reports and speculation about Charles’s continued close relationship with Camilla during his marriage to Diana, which fueled public resentment and criticism. Diana famously referred to Camilla as the “third person” in her marriage to Charles, which further contributed to the negative perception of Camilla, who was dubbed a “Rottweiler,” “hag,” and “old bag.”

However, over time, public opinion toward Camilla has softened as she has taken on more royal duties. Continue reading to discover more about Camilla’s journey and her health challenges.

Queen Camilla turned 76 in 2023, and through the years, she has had her fair share of health woes. Camilla has been a strong proponent of osteoporosis awareness. Her mother died of the bone disease in 1994 and her grandmother also had the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a family history of osteoporosis puts one at greater risk of developing the condition. In 2001, Camilla became the Royal Osteoporosis Society president. In 2019, she described her experience with her mother’s illness:

“We just watched her shrinking before our eyes. … It was terrible because we didn’t know anything about it.”

In a speech that same year, she said:

“It was 25 years ago that my mother died as a result of osteoporosis. In fact, she was exactly the same age that I am now. Then it was never discussed, rarely diagnosed and always attributed to old people.”

Camilla was said to have suffered a flare-up of sinusitis the week before her wedding to Charles in 2005, with one friend describing her as “really ill, stressed.” In 2007, at the age of 59, Camilla underwent a hysterectomy, a procedure that a spokesperson explained was not related to cancer.

Camilla’s health came under scrutiny in 2023 during a trip to Kenya, where eagle-eyed royal watchers spotted something shocking. Sarah Campus, speaking to GB News, noted that Camilla’s hands appeared to be shaking and said:

“The impact of Queen Camilla performing such strenuous global tours at her age can put a strain on her physical and mental health. The duties that the Queen needs to carry out so far from home will certainly increase her levels of stress. This could result in physical, social and psychological problems. Furthermore, this could, in fact, contribute to her hands shaking.”

Apart from illnesses, Camilla has also suffered from a few physical accidents. As the world reeled from the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, the royal family was out in full force for a multitude of mourning ceremonies. Camilla, however, had no choice but to power through it with a broken toe.

“She is in quite a lot of pain but she is just getting on with it. It is unfortunate timing to say the least but she’s been an absolute trouper,” a source told The Telegraph.

This was not the first time Camilla had suffered a similar accident. In 2010, during a walk at Charles’ Highland retreat on the Balmoral estate, the then-Duchess of Cornwall was 62 years old when she “took a tumble” while traversing the estate’s spacious grounds during the Easter break. Camilla was out of commission until after the break, with her leg in a plaster cast.

While royal sources initially reported that a police protection officer rescued Camilla, Vanity Fair writer Bob Colacello claimed he overheard Camilla speaking to friends about the incident during a dinner, telling them she was instead rescued by “two very nice ladies.”

“They took one look at me in this hole and said, ‘Oh, it’s you,’” Colacello quoted Camilla as saying.

The writer added that Camilla described the duo as being “so kind.”

“They took me to a hospital and stayed with me the whole time – and not one word to the Press! I was so grateful I sent each of them a case of champagne,” she was quoted as saying.

The Daily Mail later quoted neighbors as saying Camilla was “nice, very polite, throughout the whole thing.”