Queen Camilla’s Two Children from Her First Marriage

Queen Camilla shares two adult children with her ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles. Their son Tom was born on December 18, 1974, and their daughter Laura arrived on January 1, 1978. Long before Camilla became Queen, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes simply knew her as “mom.”

Camilla and Andrew married in 1973 and divorced in 1995. In 2005, she married then-Prince Charles, who also entered the marriage with children of his own: Prince William and Prince Harry. All four children attended the wedding at Windsor Guildhall, when Camilla officially became Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall. She was later crowned Queen in 2022.

Like most royals, Camilla rarely speaks about her private life, but her son Tom has shared glimpses of his upbringing. According to GB News, Camilla’s motto at home was “you have to laugh.” Tom added, “And whenever things got bad, we just pulled back together like the Roman centurions moving into their tortoise formation with the shields around. It was important, that power of togetherness.”

Tom Parker Bowles

Tom was born on December 18, 1974, just one year after Camilla and Andrew’s wedding. Then-Prince Charles was named his godfather. He grew up in historic homes Bolehyde Manor and Middlewick House before attending Eton College and later the University of Oxford.

After graduation, Tom pursued a career as a food writer. He has authored nine cookbooks, starting with E Is For Eating – An Alphabet of Greed (2004). He is also a restaurant critic and has appeared as a guest judge on shows such as MasterChef, The Hotplate, and Family Food Fight.

In 2005, one month after his mother’s wedding to Charles, Tom married fashion editor Sara Buys at St Nicholas’ Church in Oxfordshire. They welcomed two children, Lola (2007) and Frederick (2010). The couple divorced in 2018 after 12 years of marriage. “I’m divorced, but you get on with your ex-wife for the sake of the children, that’s what matters,” Tom told People in 2024.

Since his mother’s marriage to King Charles, Tom has spoken positively about their blended family. He noted that his children adore Charles, who has been a “wonderful step-grandfather.” The grandchildren call Camilla “Gaga” and Charles “Uppa.” Frederick served as a page of honor at the 2023 coronation.

Tom has also spoken candidly about his role within the wider royal family. “We are married in, we are not the royal family,” he explained. “I find everyone incredibly nice and friendly and we’ve known them all for a long time. It does seem natural.”

Laura Lopes

Laura was born on January 1, 1978. She attended Heywood Preparatory School in Corsham before studying art history at Oxford Brookes University. After graduation, she pursued a career as an art curator, interning at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice and later co-founding Eleven Fine Art, where she served as gallery director for 11 years.

In 2006, Laura married Harry Lopes, grandson of Lord Astor of Hever, at St Cyriac’s Church in Lacock, Wiltshire. She wore a gown by designer Anna Valentine, who also created Camilla’s 2005 wedding dress.

The couple has three children: daughter Eliza and twin sons Gus and Louis. While largely private, Laura and her family have attended significant royal events, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018 and Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022. Gus and Louis joined their cousin Frederick as pages of honor at the 2023 coronation.