The surprising reason why Duchess Camilla could not get ‘out of bed’ on her wedding day

camilla duchess cornwall wedding day nerves
(Image credit: Getty)

A royal expert has revealed the surprising reason why Camilla Duchess of Cornwall couldn’t get ‘out of bed’ on her wedding day.

Duchess Camilla and heir apparent tied the knot back in 2005 in an intimate civil ceremony in Windsor Guildhall.

The pair followed their ceremony with a lovely Church of England service in Windsor Castle’s St. George’s Chapel, the same venue where Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle walked down the aisle back in 2018.

And a royal expert has revealed something rather surprising about the royal couple’s special day.

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Writing for Vanity Fair in 2018, biographer Penny Junor revealed that the Duchess of Cornwall ‘couldn’t get out of bed’ on the big day back in 2005.

The writer explained that Duchess Camilla had come down with a bout of sinusitis so she was already feeling under the weather, but that she refused to get out of bed because she was so nervous for the big day.

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It was nerves more than sinusitis that kept her under the covers,’ said Penny.

She was terrified’.

The biographer reported that a close friend of the Duchess Lucia Santa Cruz, who is said to have introduced the royal pair back in the 70s, told her how the Duchess ‘literally couldn’t get out of bed’ and she had been ‘really ill’ and ‘stressed’.

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Penny revealed that it took four people to get Duchess Camilla out of bed on the wedding day, her sister Annabel, her daughter, her dresser Jacque Meakin and housemaid Joy.

But it was only after her sister Annabel teased her saying, “OK, that’s all right”, “I’m going to do it for you. I’m going to get into your clothes” that she finally got out of bed.

She looked endearingly frightened when she stepped out of the car with Charles and waved briefly before disappearing into the Guildhall at Windsor,’ added Penny, ‘but it was clear the crowd was on her side.

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Slowly, as the day wore on, she relaxed, reassured and supported as always by having her family around her’.

How sweet!

Aleesha Badkar

Aleesha is a digital shopping writer at woman&home—so whether you're looking for beauty, fashion, health or home buys, she knows what the best buys are at any moment. She earned an MA in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London in 2017 and has since worked with a number of brands including Women's Health, Stylist and Goodto. A year on the w&h news team gained her invaluable insight into where to get the best lifestyle releases first—as well as an AOP awards nomination.