A supportive ex. Queen Camilla’s ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, was in attendance for her and King Charles III’s coronation.
Parker Bowles, 85, made headlines as he arrived at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday, May 6. Camilla, 75, and her ex-husband, to whom she was married from 1973 to 1995, share son Tom Parker Bowles, 48, and daughter Laura Lopes, 45.
Three of the exes’ grandsons were on hand as the queen’s Pages of Honour as she was officially declared queen while Charles, 75, was crowned king. (Though Charles immediately ascended the throne upon Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022 at age 96, the coronation marks the occasion where the ruler is formally crowned as monarch.)
In 2015, 10 years after his mother married Charles, Tom revealed to Australian news program A Current Affair that he “always adored [his] stepfather.”
“He’s always been a kind and good and lovely man,” the food writer gushed about the now-monarch. “He is a man of warmth, intelligence and humanity and I think if it ever happens, he will make a fantastic king.”
In addition to Camilla’s family, Charles’ sons — Prince William and Prince Harry — were in attendance at the coronation, a rare moment that made headlines due to the Duke of Sussex’s years-long estrangement from his brother, 40, and father. (Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have made numerous allegations against the royal family since stepping down from their positions as senior royals in 2020, including claims of racism, inadequate mental health care, the leaking of unfavorable stories and much more.)
Buckingham Palace confirmed last month that Harry, 38, would be at the ceremony while Meghan, 41, stayed home with their children, Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 23 months. (The coronation fell on Archie’s 4th birthday.)
“King Charles is sad Meghan cannot attend but is thrilled [Prince] Harry will be in attendance,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly at the time.
The king and queen’s grandchildren also played an important role in the ceremony. Prince George, 9 — William and Princess Kate’s eldest son and second in line to the throne — served as one of the monarch’s four pages of honor, while Camilla’s grandsons Gus and Louis Lopes, 13 (Laura’s twin sons with husband Harry Lopes) and Freddy Parker Bowles, also 13 (Tom’s son with ex-wife Sara Parker Bowles), served as three of her own pages of honor.
As the Prince and Princess of Wales’ children — the couple are also parents of Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 5 — watched their grandfather be crowned king, their cousins Archie and Lilibet celebrated at home.
“As much as Meghan appreciates the invite to the coronation, she wouldn’t miss her son’s birthday for the world,” a source exclusively told Us last month. “Despite being the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan is a mom first.”
The insider added: “She feels very grateful to be included in such a special occasion by the royal family and is glad that Harry can go and show support on behalf of their family. But being the same day as Archie’s birthday, unfortunately, she’s just going to have to miss out on this one.”
