Princes William and Harry are two of the most well-known brothers in the world – and come from a family that is instantly recognizable to many.
But two relatives that are often forgotten about are their stepbrother and stepsister, who live their lives firmly away from the spotlight. Their step-siblings are Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, are the children of Queen Camilla from her first marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles. Tom is a well-known food writer, who has authored seven cook books and is a familiar face on TV, often appearing on food and cookery – however Laura leads a more private life, although does make fleeting appearances at some royal events.
She was educated at a Catholic girls boarding school in Dorset, and then studied History of Art and Marketing at Oxford Brookes University. Before settling down, Laura worked as Tatler’s motoring correspondent before moving into the art world. She first managed The Space Gallery in London and then co-founded London’s Eleven Gallery in 2005, where she was also a director.
Laura married chartered accountant Harry Lopes in Wiltshire in 2006. He went to Eton College and spent some time modelling for Calvin Klein. On their wedding day, Laura wore an Anna Valentine dress – the same designer worn by her mother when she married Prince Charles in 2005. Both William and Harry were guests at her wedding and she attended both of their nuptials. In fact, her daughter Eliza was a bridesmaid at William’s wedding in 2011 when she was just four.
Laura and Harry are also parents to twins Gus and Louis, born in 2009, who along with their cousin Freddie were pages of honour for their grandmother Camilla at the Coronation last year. And although Laura is not a royal, she could be in line to inherit two stately homes That’s because her husband Harry, the son of a baron, is set to take over Gnaton Hall in Devon, as well as the Skelpick estate in the Scottish Highlands.
Yesterday, Laura’s mum Camilla and her stepfather King Charles marked 19 years of marriage after tying the knot on on April 9 2005 in a private civil ceremony at Windsor’s Guildhall, followed by a televised blessing in St George’s Chapel.
Their nuptials were postponed by a day just four days beforehand when their ceremony clashed with Pope John Paul II’s funeral in Vatican City, which Charles had to attend to represent his mother, the late Queen.
Much has changed in the years since Charles wed his long-term love. Recently, Camilla has been dubbed the monarchy’s ‘saviour’ and praised for keeping “the show on the road” while the King and the Princess of Wales undergo treatment for cancer.
However, she was initially blamed for the breakdown of his marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales, and, when news of their affair first came to light, she faced vitriolic criticism. She gradually took on a more prominent position within the royal family over the years, including riding next to Elizabeth II in her Diamond Jubilee carriage procession. She was crowned Queen Camilla at the King’s side at the coronation last year.
