Prince Charles was not allowed to marry Camilla because of his past, and therefore, he married Princess Diana
Prince Charles and Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall, have shared a love story that is one for the books, however, with royal fans wondering why they ever married other people Diana had for Charles and Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles, rather than just beginning to be together.
According to The Daily Star, their story is as complicated as it seems from the outside, and perhaps even more so, with royal tradition and chance encounters keeping them apart for decades before finally getting the chance to tie the knot in 2005.
Prince Charles was married exclusively to Princess Diana in 1981, nearly a decade after Camilla tied the knot with Parker-Bowles, though their affair meant that both marriages eventually broke up.
According to The Daily Star, there are several reasons for Charles not marrying Camilla in the first place, the first of which is his past.
According to the outlet, "the royal family reportedly did not see Camilla as a fit princess", and according to Sally Bedell Smith, a royal expert, she was considered a "seasoned woman".
The outlet further shared, "The Royals had preferred an innocent girl to marry Prince Charles," and thus Princess Diana was secured for marriage with the future King Charles.
Another major reason for Charles and Camilla's early separation was a false engagement announcement made by Camilla's father in The Times newspaper, which resulted in their actual engagement.