(London) She was once the most hated woman in Britain. The hated rival. Harry and William’s “stepmother”. She had stolen the prince from the princess. It was all his fault. Even Diana’s death.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
No doubt: Camilla Parker Bowles had a hard time before becoming queen consort. But as she prepares to reign alongside Charles III, we wanted to see if this hatred was still as vibrant. So we went to Café Diana, in the Bayswater district of London, where Lady Di is worshipped.
They say cafe, but you could almost say a temple. The place is lined with photos of the princess, laminated or framed. Diana with her sons. Diana with mother Teresa. Diana with sick children. Diana getting out of a car. Diana from every angle. On the walls, it’s Diana wall to wall.
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
At Café Diana, photos of the “people’s princess” adorn every corner.
The establishment, run by Iraqis, has nothing chic about it. It’s a kind of greasy spoon where you can order fattouch and shashkouka, as well as bacon with eggs.
Lady Di apparently had her habits there. She was sometimes seen with Harry and William, often alone, for a cappuccino or a English breakfast. This shows how the princess was not a “royal” like the others.
And it’s also to understand why Diana’s admirers come on pilgrimage from all over the world to see this strange themed restaurant, which is glamorous only in name.
“People, every day. They take pictures. Sometimes they stay for a coffee. But often they just come to watch,” Abdul, the manager, tells us in broken English.
“They love each other, what do you want”
The anti-Camilla wave did not overwhelm us. On the contrary. Sunday afternoon, the customers of Café Diana, locals and tourists mixed, seemed rather in favor of the new queen consort, who will accompany the new king in his functions.
Not that we are unconditional, attention. Some still have a little turd on their hearts. But a lot of water has flowed under the bridges. And we now say we are ready to turn the page, because deep down, “Camilla is not a bad person”.
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
Georgia Morris and Debbie Thomas in front of Café Diana
“It took me a while to accept it, explains Georgia Morris, a pair of crutches on her thighs. But in the end, she ended up convincing me. »
We will not return to the soap royal who held the United Kingdom — sorry, the world! — in suspense in the early 1990s. The “menage à trois”, Prince Charles’ reflections on love, infidelity, the paparazzi, the tragic end of Lady Di.
Camilla has long been seen as the villain of this story, which will likely be told in the next season of the series. The Crown, announced for the month of November. The scar is not closed for everyone. It seems that Prince Harry will settle some accounts with his mother-in-law in his memoirs, a “time bomb” which should be published shortly and which the royal family probably dreads.
But at Café Diana, we prefer to insist on the more romantic side of this saga and its controversies.
“We should have allowed Charles to marry Camilla from the start,” observes Debbie Thomas. Because they were truly made for each other. »
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
Phil Gillespie (left) and his friend Mikael Nilsen
“They are really in love, we can’t blame them,” adds Phil Gillespie, in a tone of evidence, in front of a huge English breakfast. So I think it’s time to move on. Poor Camilla has suffered enough. »
Taming the function
Will “poor Camilla” make a good queen consort? No one here doubts that.
“She still had time to prepare,” notes Phil Gillespie.
Will it be appreciated? That’s another story. “It could take time, puts Kenneth Aldous, 87, into perspective. Either way, there will always be people who won’t like it. »
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
Kenneth Aldous, met at Café Diana, in London
In any case, it is certain that Camilla Parker Bowles, 75, mother of two children and wife of Charles since 2005, will have a lot of pressure and her share of challenges to overcome, starting with that of re-taming the function.
“There hasn’t been a queen consort for 70 years [la dernière fut la reine mère, de 1936 à 1952]. Camilla will have to refresh and redefine this role. But the expectations will be high and she will have to convince, ”explains Ellie Woodacre, specialist in the British monarchy at the University of Winchester, England.
According to the academic, it is likely that Camilla will be content to be a support for Charles, as Philippe was for Elisabeth, that is to say present and erased at the same time.
For 10 years, she has managed to be visible without stealing the limelight from Charles or the new generation. I am convinced that she will continue on this path and that she will find her place, even if the responsibilities promise to be enormous.
Ellie Woodacre, specialist in the British monarchy at the University of Winchester
The new queen consort should thus be content with a ceremonial role and will logically continue her charitable activities (more than 90!), which have largely contributed to restoring her image with the general public and her detractors. According to what we know, she will be crowned at the same time as Charles III, with the platinum and diamond tiara of the Queen Mother, created for the coronation of George VI in 1937.
We bet she will never eat at Café Diana…
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
The dining room of Café Diana