Royal Expert Says Camilla Adapted to Royal Life ‘Like a Duck to Water’ — Unlike Meghan Markle
Queen Camilla's rise in public favor has been described as the "opposite arc" to Meghan Markle's changing reputation.
There is no denying that Queen Camilla was once one of the most polarizing figures in the royal family. Today, however, she is not only accepted as Queen but has genuinely won over the public. In contrast, Meghan Markle experienced the exact opposite trajectory; though immensely popular when she first began dating Prince Harry, she faced a tidal wave of intensifying scrutiny in the years that followed.
Royal expert Catherine Mayer spoke on HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast and described Camilla's story as the "opposite arc" to Markle's, going from one of the monarchy's most criticized figures to one of its most accepted. She said, “Camilla has the opposite arc to Meghan. She has gone from probably one of the most hated women in the world, where she was seen as the other woman in the Charles and Diana marriage breakdown, to being solidly up there in the popularity ratings.” She continued, “She's now seen as a stalwart of the monarchy as opposed to the biggest threat that it faced.”
Levin also praised Camilla's "wicked" sense of humor, noting that she adapted to her royal responsibilities with remarkable ease. Describing her transition as being “like a duck to water,” Levin suggested that Camilla's shared background with King Charles is the foundation of their enduring bond. As Levin put it, “Although he comes from this sort of cold and dysfunctional 'Planet Windsor,' they have the same friends and attitudes and a worldview that is in many ways closely aligned. But what she also has is a wicked sense of humour.”
Long before they became King and Queen, the couple first connected at a 1970 polo match when they were both 23. A romance blossomed quickly, but it was cut short when Charles was deployed abroad with the Royal Navy.
While Charles was away, the relationship came to an end, and Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles, with whom she has two children. They remained friends despite going their separate ways, and Charles even became the godfather of Camilla's son, Tom. Meanwhile, Charles got engaged to Princess Diana, and the couple married in July 1981.
On the other hand, Markle’s experience was the polar opposite. She has frequently spoken out about the suffocating scrutiny she faced, not just from the relentless UK tabloids but also from within the palace walls. Seeking peace and autonomy, she and Prince Harry sensationally stepped down from their royal duties in 2020 and set up camp in sunny California. But the drama didn't end at the Atlantic. Since trading palace life for Hollywood, public opinion of Meghan has fractured entirely. While a fiercely loyal global fanbase views her as a modernizing force who was pushed out by an archaic institution, traditional royal watchers have grown increasingly disillusioned, viewing her post-royal media campaigns as an ongoing attack on the monarchy.
