Prince Charles and Princess Diana only had a dozen in-person meetings prior to being engaged in 1981, therefore the majority of their romance took place over the phone. After they got married, their marriage started to have problems, and soon enough the public realized they weren’t living in a fairy tale.

But prior to meeting Diana, Charles was seeing Camilla Shand, who is now his wife. She was the prince’s favorite, but she wed another guy. Continue reading to learn the initial cause of Charles and Camilla’s breakup.

In 1970, Prince Charles and the future Duchess of Cornwall were introduced through a common acquaintance. At a polo tournament, they clicked and started dating. Andrew Parker Bowles, a retired British Army officer and Camilla dated before Charles, but their on-again, off-again romance came to an end when Andrew and Princess Anne started dating.

Yes, you did read that right. While the prince was seeing his ex, Andrew was dating Charles’ sister.

Princess Anne was in love with [Andrew], Camilla was in love with Andrew, Charles was in love with Camilla, Camilla was having some of it but she was also passionate about Andrew, a friend of Camilla’s told royal biographer Sarah Bradford in the book Diana.

By all accounts, Charles wanted nothing more than to keep Camilla in his life, but when he was transferred to the Royal Navy and moved abroad, their romance ended.

Charles was shocked to learn that Camilla and Andrew resumed their relationship while he was overseas. He was even more devastated when he discovered she and Andrew had wed a few months later.

Even though Camilla had captured Charles’ heart, he realized he couldn’t have married her because she lacked the necessary aristocratic ancestry to be a suitable match for the future king. Additionally, Camilla was not a virgin when the royals wanted the heir apparent to marry one.

Charles and Camilla had always maintained touch with one another, and after he was married to Diana, allegations of an affair started to circulate.

The public learned of a late 1980s recording of the Prince of Wales and his mistress’s obscene chat in 1993. Tampongate or Camillagate are two of the names given to the affair.

Charles may be heard saying, “Oh God,” during the call. I’ll simply move inside of your pants or something. It would be a lot simpler! “What are you going to become, a pair of knickers? “, Camilla retorted. You’re going to return as a pair of underwear, I see.

He continues, “Or, God forbid, a Tampax,” he says. I’m really unlucky!

Diana and the prince split up in 1996, the year before her terrible demise. Charles wed Camilla on April 9, 2005.

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