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| Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla Parker
Bowles make their first public appearance together since they
announced their wedding engagement, during a function at Windsor
Castle near London February 10, 2005. |
British heir to the throne
Prince Charles said on Thursday he will marry long-time lover Camilla
Parker Bowles, the woman blamed for destroying his "fairytale" marriage to
the late Princess Diana.
Aware of public misgivings
over his lover, Charles ruled
out Camilla becoming queen once he assumes the throne.
His mother Queen Elizabeth, who had been slow to accept the divorced
mother of two, wished the pair well for their April 8 wedding in Windsor
Castle, west of London.
The couple -- lovers during Charles' tumultuous marriage to Diana --
plan a quiet, civil ceremony, in sharp contrast to the dazzling church
wedding to Diana, which was beamed worldwide from London's St. Paul's
Cathedral.
A beaming Camilla showed off her diamond engagement ring and posed for
pictures with Charles at a Windsor Castle reception as the couple appeared
together for the first time since the announcement.
"I am just coming down to
earth," said Camilla, who confirmed Charles had followed
tradition by going down on one knee to propose.
Wearing a pink gown and string of pearls, she thanked guests who had
gathered in the splendor of the castle's gilt-lined Grand Reception Room.
Charles, wearing a black bow tie and dinner jacket with red collar and
cuffs, said only: "I am very happy."
Camilla, 57, will take the official title of Her Royal Highness The
Duchess of Cornwall after marriage. Once Charles becomes king, his wife
will be called Princess Consort, not queen.
Charles, 56, was divorced in 1996 from Diana, who blamed "rottweiler"
Parker Bowles and the prying
media for the break-up of what had promised to be a dream union.
Charles' sons William and Harry, next in line to the throne, wished the
couple "all the luck in the future."
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2005-02-11 09:44