Royal butler blasts claims William and Harry were against dad Charles’ wedding with furious five-word statement
When King Charles and Queen Camilla tied the knot in 2005, there were rumours that his two sons Prince William and Prince Harry were against the union.
However, according to Grant Harrold - who was Charles’ butler - this couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, William even took on the highly-sought after role of being Charles' best man on their wedding day.
Recalling the moment, he said: "It was also complete nonsense that William and Harry were unhappy. I promise you that wasn’t the case. I was there.”
Nearly 25 years on since Charles and Camilla first went public with their relationship, their special day on April 9, 2005 is still one that fans worldwide remember.
When Charles and Camilla were finally able to exchange vows, they are reported to have paid only £285 to hire the Ascot Room at Windsor Guildhall, a high street register office.
But there was still a palpable sense of excitement, with about 20,000 well-wishers gathering outside the venue. “Their wedding was a huge turning point in many ways,” explained Robert Hardman, author of Charles III: The Inside Story.. “These are the moments that punctuate our royal history. There was a great buzz about it.”
With a band outside the Guildhall playing Congratulations, the pair arrived together for the 12.30pm ceremony in a Rolls-Royce Phantom IV, lent to them by the Queen.
Charles wore a morning suit with a silver-grey waistcoat and grey striped trousers, while Camilla looked elegant in a cream silk outfit by Anna Valentine and a Philip Treacy hat.
The 20-minute ceremony was attended by 28 guests, including their children, Tom and Laura Parker Bowles, and Princes William and Harry.
As best man, it was William’s job to look after the wedding rings, made from Welsh gold. However, as Charles and Camilla were both divorcees, the late Queen Elizabeth, as head of the Church of England, and Prince Philip were not present at the Guildhall.
After the private, untelevised ceremony, the newlyweds stepped out arm-in-arm to the cheers of the crowd, before heading back to Windsor Castle, where Camilla changed into another Anna Valentine outfit.
The couple then attended St George’s Chapel gor a 45-minute religious service of prayer and dedication, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.
The Queen and Prince Philip were present for this service, along with 800 guests including royals, politicians, religious leaders and a smattering of celebrities – among them Joanna Lumley, Rowan Atkinson, Kenneth Branagh, Stephen Fry and Phil Collins.
