Who is Prince William and Prince Harry's mysterious stepsister, Laura Lopes?
Laura Lopes is the only daughter of Duchess Camilla, but she's often overlooked in the royal social sphere
Prince William and Prince Harry's relatively unknown stepsister, Laura Lopes, has always been a mysterious figure in the Royal Family tree.
- Prince William and Prince Harry may seem like a solo package, but the royal brothers actually have two other siblings—including a relatively unknown stepsister.
- Laura Lopes has lived a notably private life since her mother, Duchess Camilla, married into the Royal Family.
- In other royal news, Duchess Camilla’s regal nickname from Prince George, Charlotte and Louis has a wonderful ring to it.
Prince William and Prince Harry's mysterious stepsister rarely makes the headlines—and it looks like that's exactly how she wants it.
The brothers welcomed two siblings into their family when their father, Prince Charles, married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005—and while one has been relatively active on the royal social scene for the past three decades, the other remains virtually unknown.
Duchess Camilla is the proud mother of Tom Parker Bowles, 46, and Laura Lopes, 43, both of whom were born during her 20-year-long marriage with ex-husband Andrew. The children were thrust into the spotlight after Charles' relationship with their mother became public knowledge following the death of Princess Diana in 1997, with tabloids regularly covering the private lives of the two Wiltshire kids.
However, as the public's opinions towards the Prince of Wales and Duchess Camilla's romance shifted over time, the Parker Bowles offspring thankfully became less of a target of media scrutiny.
Tom has since established himself as an award-winning food writer and food critic, authoring seven cookbooks and popping up on multiple culinary TV shows. Clearly undaunted by the pressure of fame, he makes countless public appearances every year and openly gives interviews to the press.
Laura, on the other hand, is reportedly far less interested in celebrity life—preferring to focus on her career and family rather than curating a VIP persona.
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The Oxford University graduate today lives with her husband, Harry Lopes, whom she married in 2006, and their three children, daughter Eliza and twin sons, Gus and Louis. She worked briefly alongside her brother, Tom, as Tatler's motoring correspondent in the early 2000s, before pursuing her true passion of art dealership in London. Her resumée—which hasn't been updated recently—boasts experience as the manager of The Space Gallery and the director of London's Eleven Gallery.
It's understood that while Laura isn't necessarily camera-shy, she didn't have the best introduction to royal life. She was reportedly strongly against Prince Charles' advances towards Camilla when she was growing up, even going so far as to yell at the future King over the phone.
"Laura would pick up an extension and shout down the receiver 'why don’t you stop calling mummy and leave our family alone," a royal insider revealed.
"She couldn’t care less that it was the Prince of Wales, she blamed him for breaking up her parents’ marriage and was not afraid to tell William so."
Fortunately, it looks like the savvy businesswoman has well and truly recovered from this rocky patch with Queen's successors. She attended Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla's wedding in 2005 and went on to invite the newly married couple, along with William and Harry, to her own nuptials the following year.
Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.
Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.
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