Queen Elizabeth stood by Camilla following divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles

The late Queen reportedly felt sympathy for Camilla Parker Bowles after her divorce, calling her "a much maligned woman," according to a royal biographer and expert.

Camilla first caught the attention of the then Prince Charles in 1970, and they connected immediately, but their relationship ended just a year later. 

She married Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973, which left Charles heartbroken before he entered what was dubbed the "marriage of the century" with Princess Diana in 1981.

However, things took a turn in January 1993 when intimate phone conversations between Prince Charles and Camilla were leaked. 

After Camilla and Andrew announced their divorce in 1995, Diana and Charles's marriage also fell apart a year later, marking a "very unpleasant" period for Camilla, as noted by royal commentator Ingrid Seward, according to the Express.

In the 2023 documentary Queen Camilla : Defiant, Ms Seward reveals that post-divorce, Camilla was virtually a "prisoner" in her abode, earning compassion from the late Queen.

She said: ”Camila was in a very, very unpleasant situation. She was vilified, she was absolutely hated by everyone. I mean actually the Queen felt very sorry for her. She called her that much maligned woman.

“They've known the Parker Bowles' all their life. Andrew's father was a great friend of the Queen Mother and they were all acquaintances.

“So the Queen felt desperately sad for Camilla and it was a very, very, very difficult time for her especially after Diana died, then she was even more of a prisoner.”

Queen Camilla has been hailed as the linchpin "holding the Royal Family together" amid a tumultuous 2024. With both Princess Kate and King Charles battling cancer, and Prince William devoted to caring for his wife and children, Camilla has stepped up as one of the most diligent royals.

Yet, in the documentary, Ms Seward revealed that Camilla "never wanted to be Queen" and "certainly didn't envisage such a busy life".

She explained: "She wasn't brought up to it. She's not used to sort of running down corridors at 20mph and working every hour of the day.

"Camilla is used to a more leisurely country life. But the Queen saw the change in Camilla and saw her dedication to duty and she also saw her dedication to Charles because she so helps him."

For the unversed Kate Middleton and Prince William extended a heartfelt birthday wish to Queen Camilla as she turns 77 today.

On July 17, the official Instagram handle of the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a delightful picture of the Queen consort sitting on a bench with a beautiful flower basket.