So when the dashing Blues and Royals major married then-Camilla Shand, Anne was not impressed, which made it very awkward indeed at the Buckingham Palace dinner table when Camilla later divorced Andrew and married Charles in 2005 – and expected Anne to play nice.
Now, an ancient rule invoked by the Queen may allow Anne to finally get her revenge.
“Camilla is the top-ranking royal woman aside from the Queen, but as it turns out, only when her husband is with her,” says a source.
“When Charles isn’t there, she must curtsey to Anne, who takes precedence. I’ve heard Anne has quietly been making a case for years that Charles and Camilla aren’t fit for the throne, so she should be Queen instead of Camilla. Even though it’s a long shot, for Anne it would be Camilla’s just desserts.”
She may not be queen consort yet, but Camilla has already revamped her image, appearing fitter, fresher, younger and more chic than she has in years.
“Camilla has lost a significant amount of weight,” nutritionist Kate Llewellyn-Waters previously told New Idea Royals.
“I would estimate she has lost 9-10kg. Also, her skin is glowing. I suspect she has followed a form of caloric restriction such as intermittent fasting, and concentrated on ensuring her diet is nutrient dense and packed with antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory foods, while limiting refined sugar.”
Camilla has worked hard to ensure that she is in the best possible physical condition to rule the country. But as well as improving her health, Camilla is trying to show herself as down-to-earth, friendly and youthful in order to appeal to the masses, which can be seen in her more relaxed attire – jeans and a blazer.
However, there have been rumours that Charles and Camilla will never rule and the throne will instead go to William and Kate.
“He is becoming increasingly frustrated by being the longest-serving King-in-waiting in history and is rather hoping to relax in his twilight years,” a source told New Idea, remarking that a move to Italy isn’t totally out of the question.
“As the years have gone by, he’s become even more obsessed with his gardening – and Tuscany would sound excellent to him right now. There would be very little guilt for Charles, as William and Catherine have proved time and time again they’re ready to step up,” the insider added.
Meanwhile, Anne has been keeping busy with royal duties – most recently at Bullingdon Prison to see how its unsung workers are battling the pandemic as part of Hidden Heroes Day.
The 70-year-old Princess Royal spoke to staff who have been coordinating virtual court hearings, so they can continue processing inmates.
She was also given a tour of the facilities, including the prison video link rooms, where inmates can attend virtual courtrooms across the country.
“HRH is Patron of Butler Trust, a charity dedicated to recognising outstanding practice by those working with offenders,” the official Royal Family social media accounts shared.
“HRH spoke to prison staff who have been coordinating virtual court hearings, so that they can continue under current social distancing guidelines.”