Prince William and Camilla’s rocky relationship revealed as he removes sister from payroll
Despite a rocky start to their relationship, Prince William and Queen Camilla have demonstrated mutual respect for one another over the years but will William removing Camilla’s sister from the payroll reignite a feud?
This week, as the Duchy of Cornwall accounts were released, it was revealed Prince William had reportedly made a big decision by removing Queen Camilla’s interior designer sister from the royal payroll.
The accounts showed for the first time in almost two decades, Annabel Elliot was not paid for her services during 2023-2024. She was employed by the then Prince of Wales, as chief designer of his estates following his 2005 marriage to Queen Camilla. But sources confirmed to The Telegraphthat Prince William would no longer employ Ms Elliot, although it was no reflection on her work.
The decision could be an example of how Prince William intends to streamline the monarchy and its processes when he becomes reigning monarch.
Despite initial hesitancy with Camilla and Charles’s relationship, Prince William and Prince Harryeventually came to accept the now-Queen Camilla as part of their father’s life, as claimed in Omid Scobie’s book, ‘Endgame’, as he called Camilla an “anchor” for the King.
It is claimed Prince William and Prince Harry did not have a typical familial relationship with Camilla, even after she technically became their stepmother as they tied the knot on April 9, 2005, in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall.
Royal commentator Emily Andrews has claimed that Camilla’s relationship with the princes was “tricky”. Speaking during the 2020 Channel 5 documentary ‘Charles & Camilla: King and Queen in Waiting’, Ms Andrews said: “Camilla’s relationship with William and Harry has always been quite tricky. Diana obviously painted Camilla as the marriage wrecker.”
The princes were both in their mid-teens when Charles and Camilla’s relationship became public. The Duchess’ relationship with Harry was reportedly particularly difficult in the beginning.
Ms Andrews explained: “Harry refused to see her to start with. Harry wears his heart on his sleeve. He was in his teenage rebellious phase — smoking dope and kind of getting into trouble.”
In his bombshell memoir, Harry explained along with Prince William that they pleaded with their father not to marry Camilla. He wrote: “Despite Willy and me urging him not to, Pa was going ahead. We pumped his hand, wished him well. No hard feelings. We recognized that he was finally going to be with the woman he loved, the woman he’d always loved.”
