King Charles and Queen Camilla: A marriage in name only?

King Charles III and Queen Camilla may look like the picture of unity during public engagements, especially as the monarch continues cancer treatment. But according to new reports, their private lives tell a very different story. 

Insiders claim the royal couple lead “largely separate lives,” balancing public duty with personal independence.

Here are the key revelations:

1. Separate Homes, Separate Lives

Despite being married since 2005, sources claim Charles and Camilla spend much of their time apart. Camilla, 78, reportedly lives in her $1.2 million Ray Mill estate in Wiltshire, while Charles splits his time between Highgrove and Clarence House.

“They are divorced in everything but name,” a source told Radar Online. “Camilla lives at Ray Mill most of the time, while Charles retreats to Highgrove or Clarence House.”

2. Public Unity vs. Private Distance

The couple continues to appear together at major royal events and during Charles’ ongoing health battle. Insiders say this is a carefully maintained image for the monarchy.

“They are putting on a united front in public, especially because Charles is ill, but behind the scenes it’s a very different picture,” one family insider alleged.

3. A Marriage of Optics

According to royal insiders, their bond has shifted over the years into one based more on appearances than intimacy.

“It’s a marriage of appearances and public relations optics at this stage,” one source claimed.

4. Camilla’s Refuge at Ray Mill

Photographer Chris Jackson captured Camilla at Ray Mill earlier this summer for her birthday portraits, showing her with her rescue dog Moley. 

In his caption, he described her as “happy and relaxed at home in Ray Mill, Wiltshire,” which suggests where she feels most settled.

Camilla purchased Ray Mill in 1994 after her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles, and though she moved into royal residences after marrying Charles, she never let go of the property.

5. A Complex Royal History

The revelations add another episode to the couple’s complex history. 

Following the Divorce of Charles and Diana in 1996 — just a year before Diana’s tragic death — Charles married Camilla in 2005, formalising a relationship that had long been controversial.