Camilla's forgotten grandchildren to take centre stage in King Charles' coronation

Camilla Parker Bowles, the Queen Consort of the United Kingdom, is not only step-grandmother to Charles's five grandchildren, but she also has five grandkids of her own through her children from her first marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles.

Here, we take a look at their non-royal lives, their relationship with Camilla, and their roles in the upcoming Coronation of King Charles III.

Camilla's rarely-seen grandchildren

According to the Mirror, Camilla's son Tom Parker Bowles, who recently opened up about claims made by Prince Harry in his memoir, has two children Lola, 15, and Freddy, 13, and her daughter Laura Lopes has Eliza, 15, and twins Louis and Gus, 13.

Lola Parker Bowles, the daughter of Camilla's son Tom Parker Bowles and his wife Sarah Parker Bowles, is the eldest of Camilla's grandchildren. She was born in 2007 and is possibly the grandchild that Camilla referred to in her 2022 interview with British Vogue when she revealed that she played Wordle with her granddaughter every day. Lola is a teenager now, and not much is known about her non-royal life.

Eliza Lopes, Camilla's only other granddaughter, was born the year after Lola. She is 14 years old and the daughter of Camilla's daughter Laura Lopes and her husband Harry Lopes. When she was a toddler, Eliza appeared in Prince William and Kate Middleton's 2011 wedding and became perhaps the best-known of Camilla's biological grandchildren.

In a recent interview with British Vogue, Camilla revealed that Eliza and her younger brothers, Louis and Gus Lopes, are beginning to get into clothes and makeup. The twins, born in 2009, have not made a royal wedding appearance like their sister.

Freddy Parker Bowles, the youngest of Camilla's biological grandchildren, is just under a year younger than Louis and Gus. His father is Tom Parker Bowles and his mother is Sarah Parker Bowles. Not much is known about Freddy's life outside of his royal connections.

In the past, Camilla has spoken fondly about her grandchildren and revealed that they call her 'Gaga.' She has also shared her passion for reading with them and mentioned that one of their favorite books to read together is the bestseller Gangster Granny. Meanwhile, King Charles has always been close to his step-grandchildren, and the new Queen has mentioned how the King would read Harry Potter to amuse them.

The children's prominent roles at Coronation

According to Standard, Camilla's five grandchildren will play a prominent role in King Charles III's coronation, scheduled for May 6, 2023. Eliza, Louis, Gus, Lola, and Freddy will hold a canopy over Camilla's head during the anointing with holy oil, which is described as the most sacred part of the ceremony.

The participation of Camilla's grandchildren is a very bold break from tradition, as the role has previously been performed by duchesses, titled members of the British aristocracy. Being thrust into the limelight for the first time with official duties of their own will be a fitting acknowledgment of King Charles and Camilla's close relationship with her grandchildren, notes the Times.

A royal source told the Mirror:

'It sends a nice signal and is quite a bold move. It is another example of the King and Queen Consort being unafraid to shake things up a bit to reflect the realities of modern life, of which a blended family is a central element.'

Prince George will have his own spotlight

In another break with tradition, 9-year-old Prince George, destined to be a future king, is likely to have a prominent role. Previously, the monarch's young heirs have merely watched the ceremony from the congregation. However, William and Kate are considering all the odds to make sure the pressure and scrutiny of a much-anticipated event will not be too great for Prince George.

In the last two coronations, young heirs looked on from the congregation. For example, in 1953, Charles, then four years old, played no official role and watched the service at Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.

It is not thought that the King’s two other grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, will travel to London for the ceremony. The siblings are currently living in America with their parents, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, whose relationship with the rest of the Royal Family has been severely fractured.

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