King Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles Have 2 ‘Key’ Things That Keep Their Marriage Strong, According to Her Sister

King Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles’ long-term relationship is one of the most controversial in modern times. The pair met prior to Charles meeting his first wife, Princess Diana, and they engaged in an affair while Charles and Diana were still married. After Charles and Diana divorced in the early 1990s, Charles and Camilla restarted their relationship. In 2005, the pair tied the knot, and over the last 20 years, the public has slowly been trying to accept their relationship.

Despite its bumpy start, Camilla’s sister recently revealed in an interview that Camilla and Charles have two key ways to keep their marriage strong.

King Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles value their friendship

Charles and Camilla started out as friends first. The pair met back in the early 1970s, and rumor has it Charles had quickly taken a liking to her. However, Queen Elizabeth II reportedly didn’t think Camilla would be a good fit for queen and highly encouraged her son not to pursue a relationship. Eventually, Charles settled down with Diana, but his love for Camilla never faded.

In a recent interview, Camilla’s sister explained the role Charles and Camilla’s friendship played in their long-standing relationship. “Theirs, as any marriage should be, is a huge friendship,” Annabel Elliott said, speaking to The Daily Mail. “The key thing is that there is not really anything competitive between them. She is not trying to steal his thunder in any way at all … He is the King. And she will do her best to support him and be totally loyal to him.”

Annabel went on to also say that Camilla’s “sense of humor” helps her relationship as well. “The humour. It’s been such a bond between them. And even if they argue, they will always laugh.” Charles and Camilla’s friendship spans more than 50 years.

King Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles still receive mixed reviews from the public

Charles and Camilla’s relationship has definitely tarnished their reputations as royals through the years, and not everybody has been happy to see them happy. Camilla has made a point to remain somewhat in the background of the royal family because it appears to be the best way to get the approval of the British public.

Even Prince William and Prince Harry had a hard time accepting Camilla into the family, and while they have all seemed to get past it now, Camilla and Charles will likely never be as favored as the next-in-line royal couple, William and his wife, Kate Middleton.