At 78 years old, Queen Camilla has achieved something that seemed impossible decades ago: changing the negative perception that many Britons had of her. Her story within the royal family has been marked by controversy since the beginning.
Mainly because of her role in the relationship between then Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. However, over time, Camilla has managed to rebuild her image and occupy a stable and respected place within the monarchy.
To understand this, psychologist Lara Ferreiro, author of the book No More Jerks!, offers an analysis from an emotional perspective. As the magazine Lecturas points out, the psychologist analyzes Camilla's journey from her entry into the royal family to her current role.
The new role of Queen Camilla
Ferreiro emphasizes that one of the great challenges Camilla faced was the difficult bond with Princes William and Harry. Especially at a time of great vulnerability for both of them.
"Camilla entered William and Harry's lives when both were in deep mourning for the loss of their mother," the expert notes. It was an especially sensitive time for the two young men, who were still coming to terms with such a devastating loss.
In such a fragile context, the emotional wound from childhood, especially for Harry, did not heal. "It's the wound from his childhood, the death of his mother, and he hasn't gotten over it. So he tends to project rejection onto substitute figures."
The psychologist points out that this kind of rejection is not unusual. In fact, it tends to occur more frequently when the stepmother figure carries negative connotations from the start. "It's something common; teenage stepchildren perceive the father's new partner this way."
"But on top of that, she was the mistress..." she adds. This rejection came not only from the family sphere but also from public opinion. "She had to live under the shadow of Lady Di, which was very complicated because the people hated her, the children hated her..." she states.
Queen Camilla has achieved the impossible
Over time, Camilla adopted a strategy to improve her image, focusing on showing herself as approachable and discreet. "She could have suffered from the stepmother syndrome," Ferreiro comments, alluding to the stigma that often surrounds that role.
Despite everything, Queen Camilla has shown a remarkable capacity for adaptation. "She's super strong, she has a lot of psychological resilience, she's a great survivor of media, social, and family rejection."
While her relationship with William has evolved toward mutual respect, with Harry the conflict remains unsolved. "Harry is deeply hurt," Ferreiro states, noting that his distance is due to an unsolved emotional dilemma.
Camilla's path to being accepted within the royal family has been long. Far from trying to impose herself, she has chosen discretion, respect, and a constant but understated presence. Today, Queen Camilla represents a figure who has managed to find her place.