Hi,

Prince Charles will marry his long-term partner Camilla Parker Bowles on 8 April, Clarence House says.




The ceremony will take place at Windsor Castle and Mrs Parker Bowles will take the title HRH the Duchess of Cornwall.

When the Prince of Wales becomes King, Camilla will not be known as Queen Camilla but as the Princess Consort, Clarence House added.

The move will end years of speculation on a relationship which has spanned the decades since they first met in 1971.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have given the Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker Bowles their "warmest good wishes for their future together", Buckingham Palace said

Charles was married to Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash in 1997.

The princess famously referred to Mrs Parker Bowles as one of the contributing factors in the breakdown of her marriage to Charles.

Religious issues

The couple, who had two sons - princes William and Harry - had divorced when Diana died in Paris, eight years ago.

Conservative leader Michael Howard said he was "delighted" at the news, but Downing Street has refused to comment until a full statement is released by Clarence House.

Mrs Parker Bowles' current position has meant that her status was dogged with problems, including her seating at social functions away from her partner.

Last June, Mrs Parker Bowles was mentioned in the Prince's accounts, which marked a new realm of acceptance.

The marriage is likely to be a sensitive issue because Mrs Parker Bowles is divorced and her former husband is still alive.

If he became king, Charles would be the supreme governor of the Church of England and some Anglicans remain opposed to the remarriage of divorcees.

The church is officially neutral on the issue, but former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey recently urged the couple to marry.

BBC Royal Correspondent Nicholas Witchell said: "This is a step not without considerable risk by the Royal Family.

Legislation change?

"They will be watching very carefully to see how public opinion unfolds."

He said the prospect of Mrs Parker Bowles taking on a subsidiary title like Duchess of Cornwall, but not becoming Princess of Wales and then Queen was "not as easy as it sounds".

"There would have to be primary legislation to achieve such a result as that. Not only in this country but in all the other countries in which the Prince of Wales will supposedly be king," he added.

Last year, a poll indicated that more Britons support Prince Charles marrying Camilla Parker Bowles than oppose it.

Public opinion

Of those who responded to a Populus poll, 32% said they would support Charles if he remarried, while 29% were opposed.

However, most people - 38% - said they did not care, while 2% had no opinion.

Mrs Parker Bowles has joined the Prince at numerous engagements in recent years - mostly at evening events for The Prince's Trust.

Clarence House staff were at pains to point out that she attended these events in a private capacity.

But the impending wedding will now allow her to be at the Prince's side full-time in an official capacity.

Source

Peace
-=SF_13=-

Hey it was said if charles is to marry camilla then he is not entitled to the thrown or any other entitlement.

I think some if it may be a bit stretched

I say let um.

Hi,

I too say let HIM .......... If the problem is with Camilla becoming Queen

When the Prince of Wales becomes King, Camilla will not be known as Queen Camilla but as the Princess Consor


Peace
-=SF-13=-

What's the story behind Camilla anyway? Why's she so controversial?

Its been debated ever since he started seeing camilla that if he marries her he will lose the right to the thrown. I still believe this should stand true!

Thing is, I don't know why it would make it illegal for him to become King.

Hi,

the_13th_redneck I am not all that Sure but you can read about this debate here .......
Here : Panorama

We are absolutely appalled by any suggestion that Camilla's adulterous behaviour should be publically condoned. When Charles married Diana, she should have backed away for the sake of the country and plain common decency. It is not appropriate that there should even be debate upon whether or not she should be Queen.

If Charles and she need to be together, then he should do the constitutionally correct thing and give up any thought of being King as did his great Uncle. The media seem to be talking up the prospects probably as a means of selling more newspapers, as ever.

We are constantly amazed by surveys suggesting that the majority of the British people are now in favour of Camilla marrying Charles and in some way sitting beside him as Consort or Queen. This does not tie in with Diana being one of the top ten Greatest Britons, nor does it tie in with either our opinion on this matter or the opinion of any of our friends and acquaintances. Who do the media survey?
Salter, UK

it's their Love for Princess Diana ...........thats Stops them form letting him marry Someone Else ..............apart form some Obsolete Stone age Royal laws ........... as i get it .

its to do way back when he was married to diana that the affair went on etc. he was then told that if he was to marry her then it would bring a disgrace down on to the family etc. Its been on running since he started this affair.

nuts..