Queen Camilla's family takes center stage at coronation

Up until now, Queen Camilla has attempted to keep her own family from her marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles largely away from the royal spotlight. But her coronation as Queen will put an end to that, with her five grandchildren set for prominent roles, and her own closeness to her children underlined by what is

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Up until now, Queen Camilla has attempted to keep her own family from her marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles largely away from the royal spotlight.

But her coronation as Queen will put an end to that, with her five grandchildren set for prominent roles, and her own closeness to her children underlined by what is set to be prominent seats in Westminster Cathedral.

The new power Camilla’s family will gain was indicated earlier this month when her son Tom made a rare media performance talking about his mother – and spoke out against Prince Harry’s public mauling of her in his Netflix and Spare whinge-a-thons. 

Parker Bowles, 48, indicated the pain his mother had been left in after Harry labelled her a “dangerous” woman who had sacrificed Harry and his brother William on the altar of her PR as part of a “long game” aimed at marriage and the crown. 

Speaking on the News Agents podcast, he insisted his mother was no villain with “any sort of endgame” adding: “She married the person she loved and this is what happened.”

The new Queen Camilla will make clear how close she is to her children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, and her five grandchildren, who are described as “beloved” by both her and King Charles. Getty Images
Queen Camilla has shown her closeness to her children, and her former husband Andrew Parker Bowles publicly, with all four pictured together as Tom (right) launched one of his cookbooks. David M. Benett
Camilla’s grandsons, Freddy Parker Bowles (center), Gus Lopes and Louis Lopes will be her “Pages of Honour,” a sign of her family’s importance in the court of Charles and Camilla. Mark Stewart/Camera Press/Redux

Ever since the huge embarrassment of being filmed taking cocaine in 1999 in a tabloid sting, while working as a film publicist, Tom has done everything in his power to make his mother proud and tread the careful path of having his own distinct career while his mother was married to the future King. 

He is now an acclaimed food writer, with seven cookery books and many television appearances to his name. As Duchess of Cornwall, his mother has attended several of his cookbook launches, as has his father Andrew Parker Bowles – who will also be at the wedding, a sign of the close relationship the divorced former couple maintain.

Tom Parker Bowles has two children Lola, 15, and Freddy, 13 from his first marriage to fashion writer Sara Buys.

Tom Parker Bowles — seen with his son Freddy at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral — made clear his feelings about Prince Harry’s attacks on his mother in a podcast in April. Mark Stewart/Pool/Shutterstock
Tom Parker Bowles has two children Lola, 15, and Freddy, 13 from his first marriage to fashion writer Sara Buys. UK Press via Getty Images
Queen Camilla’s daughter Laura married Harry Lopes, a Calvin Klein model turned accountant, in 2006. Getty Images

When they split in 2018, after 12 years together, he found love again, a year later, with society journalist Alice Procope who tragically died of cancer in 2021. 

His sister Laura, 45, has also had success in her career as an art curator and helps run the Eleven gallery in London’s famous King’s Road.

What you need to know about the coronation:

She married well-heeled Calvin Klein model turned chartered accountant Harry Lopes in 2006 and they have three children: Eliza, 15, and twins Louis and Gus, 13. 

All of the grandchildren are adored by Charles and Camilla alike and have growing roles within the royal family,

Queen Camilla’s granddaughter Eliza Lopes (right) has been part of a Westminster Abbey ceremony before, when she was a flower girl at Kate Middleton’s wedding to Prince William, arriving with Pippa Middleton and the other flower girl. Getty Images
Twin Gus and Louis Lopes are no strangers to royal events, pictured here wearing toy Guards’ bearskins at Trooping the Colour in 2014. Alan Davidson/Shutterstock

Eliza was a bridesmaid at William and Kate’s wedding in 2011 and the public caught a glimpse of her being picked up by Charles to view the crowds from the balcony. 

It has already been confirmed that Camilla’s three grandsons, Freddy, Gus and Louis will be her pages at the Coronation alongside their cousin, her sister Annabel Elliot’s 10-year-old grandson Arthur Elliot.

Wearing scarlet, they will walk behind the Queen and help smooth her robes. And there is speculation that they could have an even more important role.  

Laura Lopes has stayed more private than her brother in the run-up to the coronation, and was pictured laughing with Princes William and Harry when her mother married their father in 2005. Corbis via Getty Images
When the then-Camilla Parker Bowles married then-Prince Charles in 2005, their children posed with them in a show of closeness. However Tom Parker Bowles this month made clear his disgust at Prince Harry’s attacks on his mother. WireImage

“It is speculated that the Queen’s grandchildren will hold the canopy over her as she is anointed with oil during the coronation, which is a role previously fulfilled by duchesses. This act is a clear indication of the new King and Queen’s innovative approach to tradition,” says royal expert Jonathan Sacerdoti.

“The anointing is one of the most sacred moments of the coronation and participating in it directly would be a tremendous honor. 

“By including Camilla’s grandchildren, the couple will publicly demonstrate trust and affection, introducing them to the world and it also highlights the blended family dynamic of the King and Queen.

As Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall, the newly-married Camilla and Charles very publicly blended their families at the Cheltenham horse racing festival in 2005, with Tom Parker Bowles accompanied by his then wife Sara Buy. Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
Queen Consort Camilla is the first modern queen with children from a first marriage. POOL/AFP via Getty Images

“They are actively choosing to represent the growing number of blended families in the United Kingdom. While the Royal Family is undoubtedly distinct from the rest of society, they also reflect the social changes that have impacted the wider public.”

He added: “Including both the Queen and the King’s grandchildren in the coronation will also expand the royal couple’s image and portray them as loving parents and grandparents revealing a more intimate and affectionate side to them which will connect with a younger generation.”

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