Prince Harry “Hurt” Queen Camilla After He Labeled Her a “Villain” and “Dangerous”
“Of course it bothers her.”
In addition to interfacing with his father, King Charles, at the upcoming Coronation on May 6, Prince Harry will likely come face-to-face with his stepmother, Queen Camilla, who a close friend reveals was “hurt” by Harry’s portrayal of her in Spare as a “villain” and “dangerous,” The Sun reports.
Harry said that he and brother Prince William begged their father not to marry Camilla, which he ultimately did in 2005. Harry also alleged that Camilla leaked stories about them to the press, ultimately sacrificing Harry to help boost her own reputation.
“I have complex feelings about gaining a stepparent who I thought had recently sacrificed me on her personal PR altar,” Harry wrote. He wrote of meeting Camilla—who is referred to as the “Other Woman” in Spare—that it was like an “injection”: “Close your eyes and you won’t even feel it.” He continued “I remember wondering…if she would be cruel to me; if she would be like all the evil stepmothers in the stories.”
Lady Lansdowne, a close friend of Camilla’s who is also godmother to Camilla’s daughter Laura Lopes, said Camilla was upset by her portrayal in Spare.
“Of course it bothers her, of course it hurts,” she said. “But she doesn’t let it get to her. Her philosophy is always ‘Don’t make a thing of it and it will settle down—least said, soonest mended.’”
She also added that Camilla was vilified in the 1990s before marrying Charles, which didn’t help her relationship with William and Harry.
An aide also told The Sunday Times that, of Camilla's reaction, “It was not stamping of feet or gnashing of teeth. It was much more of an eye-roll response.”
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Those in Camilla’s close circle say she “never in a million years” thought she would be Queen and was never “that bothered” by the title.
May 6 will be the first time it is known that Camilla and Harry have seen one another face-to-face since Spare’s publication in January.
Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
Netflix Is Adapting One of #BookTok's Favorite Romances—Here's What We Know About Ana Huang's 'Twisted Love' TV Series
Could this be the next 'Bridgerton' or 'Tell Me Lies?'
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
'American Primeval' Is Bound to Be Your First Netflix Obsession of 2025—Here's What to Know About the Cast
Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin led the gritty miniseries about a family's trek across the American West in 1857.
By Radhika Menon Published
-
Katie Holmes Taps Every Fashion Editor's Favorite Unexpected Color Combo
Try this insider styling trick ASAP.
By Kelsey Stiegman Published
-
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Issue Statement on California's Devastating Wildfires
The Sussexes addressed the disaster, which is "affecting tens of thousands from all walks of life."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Meghan Markle Shares Her Most Personal Instagram Post Yet—Including Rare Glimpses of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet—After Their Beloved Dog Dies
"Thank you for so many years of unconditional love, my sweet Guy. You filled my life in ways you’ll never know."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Daughter Lilibet Has Already Entered Her "Princess Phase"
The Sussexes are very "down-to-earth" parents, according to a family friend.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Mindy Kaling Reveals Whether Prince Harry Can Cook While Discussing Duchess Meghan's "Accessible" New Netflix Series
The comedian shared some insight into the Duke of Sussex's culinary skills.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Meghan Markle’s Dad Said He’s “Incredibly Grateful” to King Charles for Walking Meghan Down the Aisle at Her Wedding
"I wish her no ill-will. My dream is that one day I could bring my whole family together."
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Duchess Sophie "Never Got Overly Involved" in Prince Harry and Prince William's Relationship, But She Was a "Peacekeeper"
The Duchess of Edinburgh "was among the few people who understood how difficult it was behind-the-scenes."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Princess Diana Wanted Prince Harry and Prince William to Grow Up Experiencing "Life Beyond the Palace Walls"
"She wanted her two boys to be brought up in a way no other royal Princes had been."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
How an Abduction Plot Involving Prince Harry Forced the Royal Family to Rethink Their Security Protocol
A murder suspect had allegedly been planning to kidnap the Duke in Argentina, and gun shots were fired.
By Amy Mackelden Published