At first glance, the story of King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, might seem like an epic romance. After all, the royal couple fought hard to be together, overcoming obstacle after obstacle in order to finally make it down the aisle. Camilla first caught Charles’ eye way back in 1972. At the time, there were signs that the future King of England had started to fall in love, but royal tradition would prevent the duo from tying the knot; Camilla was seen as too much of a party girl to fit into the royal fold.

By 1981, the palace had pushed Charles to propose to Princess Diana, who was then an innocent young schoolteacher of an aristocratic background — in other words, a woman who was considered perfect for the role of royal wife. However, not even an institution as strong as the monarchy could keep Charles and Camilla apart. The pair continued to see each other on the sly for years, hosting small dinner gatherings for each other’s friends and even sneaking away together on romantic trips to Italy and Turkey.

Following their respective divorces, Camilla and Charles were wed in a private 2005 ceremony. Soon after their wedding, though, there were new, eyebrow-raising whispers about the two. As real life came into play, Charles and Camilla’s marriage is rumored to have hit the rocks.

Because of this, when Charles and Camilla did eventually get married, things supposedly started to cool off. As someone close to Camilla remarked to the Daily Mail, “When a woman’s been a man’s mistress for thirty years and then marries him, the relationship is bound to change.” Apparently, this transition has particularly impacted the duo’s physical interactions, with the anonymous insider adding, “There’s a certain electricity about sex between lovers which is bound to dissipate after several years of marriage.”

Of course, it is worth noting that said source also told the Daily Mail that “they still love each other.” That being said, Charles and Camilla’s marriage is not free of the many ghosts of their past. The queen consort is believed to be extremely jealous of other women. According to at least one royal expert, Camilla worries that Charles will cheat on her as he did on Diana before her. Writing for Vanity Fair, royal correspondent Penny Junor explained, “She is wary of women who toady to her husband, who flatter him and laugh before he has even made a joke.”

Rumor has it that Charles has lost interest in Camilla’s problems

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The honeymoon phase of a relationship doesn’t last forever. At least, that seems to have been the case for King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort. Sometime around the couple’s eight-year marriage anniversary, the duo headed to Scotland, where they went on a romantic walk near Loch Muick. Unfortunately, this outing resulted in injury. As the couple’s former spokesperson told The Guardian, “Her Royal Highness had an x-ray which showed a twisted fracture of the fibula. … Her Royal Highness is wearing a plaster cast and will be for six weeks. She has been advised not to put weight on her leg.”

In light of this situation, it seems Charles did not exactly step up. Rather than putting in the time and effort to care for his wife, the future king conveyed that he was sick of tending to Camilla’s physical needs. Speaking with the Daily Mail, a friend of the couple divulged, “Charles was brilliant with her at first, but he’s never been very good at looking after others.” Apparently, when one of Charles’ acquaintances asked him how his wife’s recovery was going, the king-to-be was apparently annoyed by her current state. Per the same source, Charles’ biggest complaint was that Camilla “couldn’t go with him to this and that, and how it was making everything so difficult for him.”

The pair dislike each other’s families

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They say that a marriage is not just the joining of two people — it is also the joining of two families. However, when it comes to Camilla, Queen Consort, and King Charles III’s relationship, that old saying is not exactly true. According to various reports, one of the biggest stressors in Charles and Camilla’s marriage has been the fact that they apparently don’t get along swimmingly with every member of each other’s families.

On top of rumors that Camilla has long had a feud with Prince Harry, it is understood that the queen consort does not feel fully comfortable embracing the royal family’s unique traditions. Neither the intensity nor the ceremoniousness of royal life have been natural for her. As an insider told the Daily Mail, “She finds the formality [at Highgrove House] rather claustrophobic, especially with all the servants. There are so many of them, and it’s all so polished that it’s rather like living in a museum.”

Charles, meanwhile, has been said to have a difficult time dealing with Camilla’s many grandchildren. Speaking to the Daily Mail, a royal aide noted, “Camilla absolutely adores having her grandchildren around her and is always talking about them, but Charles simply cannot stand the noise and mess that small children make.” Rumor has it that Charles’ attitude has not been easy for Camilla to accept, as the queen consort loves helping her daughter take care of the three little ones.

Camilla did not support Charles following his father’s death

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On April 9, 2021, King Charles III’s beloved father, Prince Philip, died at Windsor Castle. Following this tragic loss, many people expected Camilla, Queen Consort, to step up and support her husband in his grief. As one royal insider told the Australian tabloid New Idea, “Most would think Camilla, who stands to be the queen consort one day, would be very much beside him for that.” If the rumors are to be believed, it appears this did not exactly happen.

Per the outlet’s reports, Charles and Camilla did not spend the week leading up to Philip’s funeral in each other’s company. Instead, the couple decided to stay a few days apart, with Camilla choosing to remain in the countryside, while Charles was left to grieve alone in London. Later, on the day of Philip’s burial, Charles and Camilla arrived at the event separately. Afterwards, they parted ways once more. The future king set off to Wales, where he spent some time contemplating the impact his father had on the Commonwealth. Camilla, meanwhile, stayed behind.

Overall, this sequence of events puts into question the overall state of Charles and Camilla’s marriage. Rather than sticking together in the tough times, the pair seemed to crumble under pressure. Prince Harry and Prince William also steered clear of their dad during this tough moment. Speaking to New Idea, an insider said, “Charles can’t help but feel like he’s been dumped by his entire family in his hour of need.”

Charles did not support Camilla following her medical procedures

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Over the years, Camilla, Queen Consort, has faced some health issues that have resulted in a number of uncomfortable medical procedures. In addition to spending some time in a cast and a wheelchair due to her broken leg, Camilla has also suffered from an unknown uterus-related issue that ultimately resulted in a hysterectomy.

In light of these two medical situations, many people would imagine that Camilla would want King Charles III by her side. However, that doesn’t appear to be the reality. As noted by royal experts, Richard Kay and Geoffrey Levy, in a piece for the Daily Mail, “Most married women will find it very strange that a wife should eschew the warmth and helping hand of her husband at such a difficult time, but then, this is a very strange marriage.” Indeed, Camilla opted to spend the weeks following both procedures 17 miles away from Charles at Ray Mill House — the queen consort’s own private residence.

At the time of the queen consort’s hysterectomy, one royal insider told the Daily Mail that Camilla disliked Charles’ reaction to her medical issues: “She doesn’t feel that Charles has been particularly sympathetic.” That being said, the senior royal was rumored to seek comfort in someone else. “She has found her first husband, Andrew, is often a more approachable confidante,” an insider claimed.