They say Paris is the City of Love, but for King Charles and Queen Camilla, Rome was the perfect backdrop for their 20th wedding anniversary!
The couple celebrated the milestone during their three-day state visit to the country.
On the day itself (April 9), His and Her Majesty visited Pope Francis, who had spent the previous five weeks in hospital recovering from pneumonia.
Despite the Palace initially reporting that no meeting between the royal couple and the Head of the Vatican Church would be taking place as a result of Francis’ poor health, they did meet in private for an undisclosed period of time.
The Queen then paid tribute to the special day by wearing one of her wedding ensembles when she went to the Italian Parliament alongside her husband.
She originally wore the dress to their Guildhall civil ceremony in 2005, which took place two months after Charles proposed.
For this occasion, the Anna Valentine design was remodeled with embroidery by the King’s Foundation’s artisan Beth Somerville.
While at Parliament, the King made history as the fourth non-Italian to address the Chamber from the President’s podium.
Earlier in the day, Queen Camilla also visited a school and gave a rare insight into her marriage, to British media covering the event. In disbelief about it being 20 years, she said their success stemmed from the strong foundations of friendship that underpinned it and good humour.
“Laughing at the same things, getting on with life [is key],” she revealed.
Her Majesty also revealed on the day that she and Charles wouldn’t be exchanging any anniversary gifts with one another until they returned home to the UK.
While she did not provide all of the details, she hinted that these gifts would be made from china, which is traditionally gifted after 20 years of marriage.
That’s not to say Charles, 76, won’t spoil Camilla, 77 rotten!
Last month, he splashed out almost $6 million to purchase the property next door to Ray Mill House, her Wiltshire bolthole.
On the night of their anniversary, the King mentioned the occasion at a State Banquet at the Quirinale Palace. There, he addressed about 150 guests in the Sala delle Feste.
“Today marks, as you say, the Queen’s and my 20th wedding anniversary. On that score, I must say it really is very good of you, Mr President, to lay on this small, romantic, candle-lit dinner for two,” he joked in his speech.
In Italian, he then said: “I can only say that to be able to spend this moment here in Italy, a country of which The Queen and I are so deeply fond of, is truly special.”
Opera singer Andrea Bocelli, hotelier Rocco Forte, designers Sir Paul Smith and Brunello Cuccinelli and celebrity chef Giorgio Locatell were also in attendance.
Prior to their anniversary, a source told New Idea the couple would celebrate the milestone privately.
“Charles also feels as if he’s still making up for lost time after being diagnosed with cancer last year, and having to take time away from royal duty then,” they said.
While Charles’ treatment is ongoing, he was buoyed by the success of last year’s royal tour to Australia and Samoa. He wants his work and this tour to be the focus, instead of their private milestone.
First meeting at a polo match in 1970, Charles and Camilla formed a close bond that barely weakened during their respective marriages to Princess Diana and Andrew Parker Bowles.
After officially becoming a couple in 1999, Charles proposed in February 2005.
Start your journey to find love for FREE today, with eHarmony.
