Andrew Parker Bowles, who once temporarily left Queen Camilla for a fling with Princess Anne when she was 19 — a scene immortalized in The Crown — has now, at 86, taken on a more dignified role as a right-hand man to the royals.
Representing Princess Anne
On Sunday, Parker Bowles represented Princess Anne at the memorial service for Clare Balding's father, Ian Balding, Queen Elizabeth II's former race trainer who died in January at 87. This is the second time in two months he has stepped in for Anne, having previously attended Field Marshal Lord Guthrie's memorial service at the Guards' Chapel.
Their friendship dates back to a chance meeting at Royal Lodge, the Queen Mother's home at Windsor, when Parker Bowles was adjutant in the Blues and Royals regiment. Despite his reputation as a seducer and the age gap, the attraction between them was intense. Some believe Camilla's pursuit of Prince Charles was revenge for Andrew's affair with the Queen's daughter.
Enduring Bond with Camilla
Though they divorced in 1995, Camilla and Andrew remain close. He was invited to the Coronation in May 2023. A friend described them as 'joined at the hip', constantly in touch and making a great team. Tina Brown claimed Andrew, not Charles, was the love of Camilla's life. The Marchioness of Lansdowne said, 'Everybody loves Andrew. He's a real charmer but he's always terribly misbehaving.'
Known as 'The Brigadier', Parker Bowles served as a page at Queen Elizabeth II's coronation at age 13, played polo with Charles, and rode in the Grand National in 1969. He first met Camilla in the late 1960s, and they married in 1973 after pressure from both families. Their wedding was attended by the Queen Mother, Princess Anne, and Princess Margaret.
Andrew's affairs were well-known, but Camilla allegedly resumed her affair with Charles due to his infidelities. After their divorce, Andrew married Rosemary Pitman, who died in 2010. He attended Charles and Camilla's wedding in 2005.
