Everyone was smiling, even her ex
By BETH GARDINER
The Associated Press
4/10/2005
Once married, the royals knelt beneath the towering Gothic arches of St.
George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, nervously pledging their undying love and
confessing "sins and wickedness" - a phrase from the Church of
England's Book of Common Prayer - as their vows were blessed by Archbishop of
Canterbury Rowan Williams.
Despite years of public and media criticism, even ridicule, Charles and
Camilla's shared affection appeared to finally to have won them a measure of
acceptance from the British public, many of whom blamed their relationship for
poisoning Charles' marriage to
"He did a bit of a dirty job on Diana," said
Tina Quinney, 59, one of the thousands of people lining the streets of this
royal town. "But the past is the past." 
The ceremonies went off flawlessly on a bright,
sunny day despite sinister omens: A change of location for the civil wedding
vows, unsubstantiated reports of the queen's "fury" that the couple
would wed at all, and a one-day postponement for Pope John Paul II's funeral.
Camilla is now officially the Princess of Wales, though she will be known as
the Duchess of Cornwall in deference to enduring public affection for Diana.
When Charles is crowned, she will be queen - but the prince's office says she
will use the title Princess Consort.
Throughout the day, the couple suffered from jitters and displayed tenderness,
even playfulness. Their hands knocked against one another several times before
they found a comfortable clasp during the church blessing. Outside, Camilla
clutched her hat awkwardly in a blustery wind as she waved to well-wishers with
her bouquet of spring flowers.
But the affection between the couple, who first met and fell in love in the
early 1970s, was apparent. Charles, 56, reached over to help his new wife, 57,
find her place in her prayer book as they stood before the archbishop. He
gently touched her arm as a signal when it was time to kneel.
Camilla appeared emotional at times during the service; Charles was fidgety and
somber. Even the normally reserved queen - whose views about her son's wedding
have been the subject of endless media speculation - beamed as she emerged from
the chapel.
The couple sped away for their honeymoon on the prince's Balmoral estate in
The wedding, the second for both Charles and Camilla, was far simpler than his
spectacular 1981 nuptials with 20-year-old Diana. Saturday, the local
registrar, Clair Williams, conducted the 25-minute civil ceremony at
Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, stayed away out of respect for their
son's wish that the ceremony be "low key." But they were very much a
presence at the religious blessing afterward, being the last to arrive in their
sleek, maroon and black Rolls-Royce.
The blessing ceremony, conducted by Archbishop Rowan Williams, was broadcast
live and drew about 800 guests, including Prime Minister Tony Blair and
Camilla's ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles.
Charles and Camilla chose a civil wedding because the Church of England, which
Charles will one day symbolically head as king, frowns on divorcees remarrying.
But the religious blessing led by the Archbishop of Canterbury demonstrated the
Anglican hierarchy's approval of the union.
"Heavenly father, we offer thee our souls and bodies, our thoughts and
words and deeds, our love for one another," bride and groom said while
kneeling before Williams. "Unite our wills in thy will, that we may grow
together in love and peace all the days of our life."
Charles has admitted an adulterous relationship with Camilla after his first
marriage had "irretrievably broken down"; Diana also acknowledged
that she had been unfaithful. Camilla was married to Andrew Parker Bowles until
1995, and the couple had two children. He attended the
Charles and Camilla met in their early 20s and quickly became romantically
involved, but they made no commitment before he went to sea with the Royal
Navy. She married Parker Bowles while the prince was gone. They remained close
friends, and eventually became lovers again.
Their effort to win public acceptance was put on hold after Diana's 1997 death
in a
Charles and Camilla's confession to sinning is a standard element of an
Anglican blessing of a civil wedding. However, they chose particularly stark
wording from the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, which some took as
public acknowledgment that their relationship was at one time adulterous. They
publicly resolved to be faithful.
The outdoorsy Camilla, more often photographed in sportswear, was elegant in a
cream chiffon dress and long, matching oyster silk coat for the civil service.
Her straw hat was overlaid with ivory French lace and trimmed with a fountain
of feathers.
At the
Prince William and Tom Parker Bowles, Camilla's son, served as witnesses to the
marriage.