The Duchess of Cornwall is no stranger to facing criticism when it comes to her long history with Prince Charles, and in turn, her complicated history with the late Princess Diana.
Now, it’s been revealed that Camilla received incredibly harsh critiques from royal fans over her potential attendance of the Princess Diana memorial concert in 2007.
The 71-year-old had been invited to join Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth for the high-profile benefit concert held in Diana’s honour, following an official invitation from Prince Harry and Prince William.
Royal expert Katie Nicholl revealed in The Making of a Royal Romance that Camilla unwittingly cast a shadow over the memorial service.
Camilla’s potential appearance caused the duchess to be branded as “inappropriate.”
Nicoll said, “There was a furore when it was reported that the Duchess would be attending. Camilla herself had had misgivings and wanted to stay away, but Charles had insisted she be there.”
Rosa Monckton, one of Princess Diana’s closest friends, told the Mail on Sunday: “I know such services should be an occasion for forgiveness, but I can’t help feeling Camilla’s attendance is deeply inappropriate.”
The criticism from the public is said to have left Camilla “tearful”, even though William and Harry had invited their stepmother.
The debate on whether Camilla should attend even caused a rift in her marriage to Charles, Ms Nicholls also claimed..
She said: “Camilla found herself under terrible pressure, and she and Charles argued on a daily basis over whether she should attend.”
Eventually, the Queen stepped in and gave Camilla her “blessing” to stay away from the event.
Camilla issued a personal statement at the time saying: “On reflection I believe my attendance could divert attention from the purpose of the occasion, which is to focus on the life and service of Diana.”
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