Happy birthday, Camilla! Celebrating the extraordinary life of the Duchess of Cornwall on her 75th birthday...

The Duchess of Cornwall turns 75 on July 17, and she has had an incredible life full of ups and downs. Born into aristocracy, Camilla's great-great-grandmother Alice Keppel was the mistress of King Edward VII, the great-great-grandfather of Prince Charles. Yes, you read that right! Camilla and Charles had a similar relationship that became a marriage, with her becoming a beloved member of the Royal Family. This is the life and times of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall...

Born into aristocracy as Camilla Rosemary Shand, she was the daughter of Major Bruce Shand – the Vice Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex -whilst her mother Rosalind was from the wealthy Cubitt family. Camilla spent the majority of her childhood in a regal existence.

Prince Charles laid eyes on Camilla for the first time during a polo match at Windsor Great in 1970. The future couple immediately hit it off with Camilla joking: “My great-grandmother was the mistress of your great-great-grandfather. I feel we have something in common.” After leaving to serve in the Royal Navy for eight months, Charles returned to discover Camilla was engaged to Andrew Parker Bowles.

After meeting at a debutante party in 1965, Camilla and Andrew had an on/off relationship that spanned several years. Their engagement was announced in the Times newspaper in 1973, although it has been claimed that pair's parents released the news when Andrew had yet to propose. According to Good Housekeeping magazine, Camilla’s father and Andrew’s brother conspired to get the couple down the aisle, which they did in July of that year.

Camilla went on to have two children with her first husband, 44-year old Laura Lopes and 47-year-old Tom Parker Bowles. Tom went on to become a successful food writer and critic, whilst Laura became an art curator. Tom explained: “I loved eating and could just about string a sentence together, so I thought I could write about food."

31-year-old Charles began dating 18-year old Lady Diana Spencer in 1980 and proposed to the future princess the following year. The couple marry in July 1981 and welcome children Prince William in 1982 and Prince Harry in 1984, but their happiness is short lived. According to Charles’s authorised biography, he began an affair with Camilla in 1986. In 1989, Princess Diana confronted Camilla at a party and explained that she knew something was going on between her and Charles.

Charles and Diana's separation is announced in 1992, although the divorce isn't finalised until four years later. The affair between Charles and Camilla became public knowledge after Diana revealed her jealousy of the pair in Andrew Morton's book 'Diana: Her True Story' In her infamous 'Panorama' interview in 1995, Diana added: "Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded." Meanwhile, Camilla divorces Andrew Parker Bowles in the same year. Charles gradually introduces the public to the relationship - although he has to pause after Diana's death in 1997 - and he and Camilla make their first public appearance together. Queen Elizabeth disapproves of the relationship first but later accepts Camilla as she and Charles marry in 2005 in a civil ceremony in Windsor and she in honoured with the title of Duchess of Cornwall.

In 2016, The Duchess of Cornwall was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Southampton in recognition of her work in raising awareness about the bone disease Osteoporosis. Since 2001, Camilla has been President of the National Osteoporosis Society. Camilla’s mother Rosalind Shand batted with the condition until she died in 1994. At the official launch of the Royal Osteoporosis Society at the Science Museum in London, back in 2019, she said: "It was 25 years ago that my mother died as a result of osteoporosis. In fact, she was exactly the same age that I am now. Then it was never discussed, rarely diagnosed and always attributed to old people."

Alongside being an active member of the National Osteoporosis Society, Camilla is also an advocate for literacy and animal rights as well as supporting other organisations that combat homelessness and poverty. After Camilla visited a rape crisis centre in 2009, she began to raise awareness for ways to help survivors of sexual abuse. The Times newspaper wrote: "The stories Her Royal Highness heard on her first visit and the stories she heard subsequently have left her with a strong desire to raise awareness about rape and sexual abuse and to try to help those affected." In 2010, she opened her first centre for rape victims in Ealing, then expanded across London to Hillingdon, Fulham, Hounslow and Hammersmith.

In celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, which marked the monarch’s 70th year on the throne, Camilla appeared alongside Prince Charles as themselves in special episode of the British soap opera 'EastEnders'. Kellie Bright - an actress on the show - said: “I did think what amazing sports that they are just willing to do it. I just thought wow, they’ve never done anything like this before. “They didn’t really know what to expect, I mean it must have been nerve-wracking for them and completely out of their norm. So I just hope they enjoyed it as much as we did!.”

On New Year’s Eve 2021, Queen Elizabeth bestowed Camila with one of her highest honours when she was appointed a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter - the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system. The order, which was founded by Edward III in 1348, is made up of several members of the royal family and 24 Knights and Ladies who have personally been selected by the Queen. In February 2022, the Queen revealed that she wants Camilla to be known as Queen Consort once Charles becomes King.