For the usually stiff-upper-lipped Prince of Wales, trailing tearfully behind his father’s casket as it made its final journey through Windsor was the most publicly vulnerable moment of his life. And unfortunately for the heir, the loneliness has continued to echo as his nearest and dearest have not been there in his time of need.
WATCH: Sophie Wessex slams Charles and Camilla in secret recording
Following recent reports that the 72-year-old fled to his Welsh cottage two days after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, New Idea can reveal the prince is now suffering another low point – this time with his marriage to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
According to insiders,the prince is feeling “dumped” as the couple – who marked 16 years of marriage on the day Prince Philip died – are said to be leading “completely separate lives”, despite Charles’ intense pain over the loss of his beloved father.
Insiders confirm that Charles spent the week before Philip’s funeral in London while Camilla remained in her country home, with a source insisting the situation managed to raise eyebrows, “but those closest just assumed he had a job to get on with and she was keeping out of the way”.
More worrisome was the fact Charles arrived at the funeral alone and left without his wife, before heading off to Wales by himself – apparently to reflect on his father’s life of service and to ponder the future of the monarchy.
“Most would think Camilla, who stands to be the queen consort one day, would be very much beside him for that,” says the source.
It’s believed 73-year-old Camilla is currently holed up at Ray Mill House, a rural manor she bought in 1996, where she likes spending time with her grandchildren.
Adding more pressure to the already-burdened Charles, royal biographer Anna Pasternak told Vanity Fair last week that “the Sussexes have sparked something so fundamentally incendiary in this country”, that it may “topple” the monarchy.
And with public opinion largely against Charles, who is next in line to the throne, she adds The Firm deem it “preferable” for Prince William to ascend the throne.
Charles certainly has the weight of the world on his shoulders at the moment, and if his marriage falls apart, he could very well hand over the crown to his son, William, 38.
Sources say Charles is also devastated at his own wife, mother and children leaving him to deal with his pain in solace.
“The Queen has lost her husband and is yearning to head to Sandringham, which was Philip’s favourite of the royal residences, and she’s happy to leave her children to grieve their father as they see fit,” says a source.
“But Charles can scarcely believe Prince Harry rushed back to Los Angeles so quickly after the funeral, especially with things still left unsaid between them over their family feud.”
William, meanwhile, has “thrown himself back into his work” despite the mourning period.
“William is very sad, of course, but he’s determined to look forward, not backward,” says the source.
“Yet Charles can’t help but feel like he’s been dumped by his entire family in his hour of need. Everyone’s hoping a few days in Welsh solitude will help him sort out his thoughts.”
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