Royal Staffers Who Attended King Charles and Camilla’s Nuptials Say It Really Didn’t Feel Like a ‘Royal Wedding’ or a ‘Normal Wedding’

When now-King Charles III married Queen Camilla (formerly known as Camilla Parker Bowles) in 2005, they invited a few of their close staffers and assistants to attend the affair.

Their wedding was quite different than the storybook one Charles and Princess Diana had decades earlier.

Because this was the second marriage for both parties, they had a civil ceremony. That took place at The Guildhall in Windsor. It was followed by a Service of Prayer and Dedication at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. When Charles and Diana said “I do,” it was one grand affair in front of thousands of people at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Unlike his first bride, Camilla didn’t don a princess-like gown and the event wasn’t dubbed “the wedding of the century.” But it was still a royal wedding between the man who would be king and the woman he loved. Here’s how those who were actually there described it.

King Charles’ senior gardener says the wedding ‘didn’t feel like a royal wedding’

Jack Stooks was the monarch’s senior gardener at the royal’s Highgrove estate for 21 years. He remembered that there were critics who were against the future king marrying his mistress.  

Speaking on behalf of Fruity King, Stooks recalled: “I remember reading stories in the run-up to the wedding about locals in Windsor who were against the wedding. It did feel like some members of the public didn’t agree with it but that feeling was certainly not shared by the royal staff. We knew Camilla as ‘Mrs. PB’ at the time of their engagement and we could see how happy they were together … Charles became a happier person from the moment he was allowed to marry Camilla. It was lovely to see.”

The former royal employee added that the couple’s wedding didn’t really have the typical “royal wedding” feel to it, saying: “There were elements of the wedding that felt lavish, such as the location and the guests. But ultimately, it was just a lovely affair filled with love. The reception at Windsor Castle was quite informal, and people were able to mingle and chat. Charles and Camilla seemed so happy on the day.”

King Charles’ former butler says the wedding wasn’t like a ‘normal wedding’ either

Grant Harrold was King Charles’ butler from 2004 to 2011. During his time working for the monarch and Camilla his duties also included that of valet, housekeeper, house manager, and driver.

Harrold said he probably wouldn’t compare their wedding to any old “normal” wedding either, but it was pretty “relaxed.”

Speaking on behalf of Prime Casino, Harrold explained: “I mean if you compare it to a traditional royal wedding, I don’t know if I would say it was normal, but it probably was more relaxed and definitely very different (from Charles’ first wedding). Obviously, it was equally televised and of interest to the public, but the actual wedding itself was much, much smaller. You can fit about 5,000 to 6,000 people into St. Paul’s, whereas St. George’s Chapel only seats about 800, so the numbers are obviously very different. It was certainly a much smaller-scale wedding.

“But is it similar to other weddings? The actual wedding in the church, the blessing, again, that could be similar to most normal weddings. I think the thing that makes it different is that it was at Windsor Castle, and it was the future king and queen getting married.”