When we think about Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall [1], we probably think first about her decades-long [2] and seriously complicated relationship [3] with Prince Charles. But before she married the prince, she had a whole life and a first marriage [4] that gave her two children. Camilla's children aren't in the spotlight nearly as much as her stepchildren [5], but they've still led interesting lives!
In 1973, Camilla Shand [6] married Andrew Parker Bowles, a military officer. They had a son, Tom, in 1974, and a daughter, Laura, in 1978. Tom Parker Bowles is actually Prince Charles's godson, long before he was his stepson. After finishing his education, Tom became a food writer. He is a restaurant critic with The Mail and Esquire, as well as contributing columns to several other respected publications and has appeared as a judge on food TV shows such as MasterChef. Tom also is the author of seven cookbooks and cofounded a food line along with two other food critics. In 2005, he married Sara Buys, a fashion editor, and the couple have two children. Tom remains one of the most popular and high-profile food [7] critics and experts in the UK.
Camilla's daughter Laura has had a similarly successful, if perhaps not as high-profile, life. Her career in art galleries began with an internship in Venice, Italy, and she soon became a gallery manager back in the UK in the mid-2000s. By 2005, she was a cofounder and gallery director of Eleven Gallery in London. Laura married Harry Lopes, an accountant descended from a baron, in 2006, and the couple has had three children. Laura's family definitely gets along with their royal stepfamily: their daughter, Eliza, was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Laura's stepbrother [8] Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Although Tom and Laura tend to keep a lower profile than their royal relatives, they've appeared at a handful of events over the years, especially once their mother officially joined the royal family [9]. Take a look at some of their appearances below!