Queen Camilla's Reaction to Prince Harry's 'Spare' Slamming …

Queen Camilla was "hurt" by Prince Harry's criticisms in his Spare memoir and interviews promoting it in which he described her as "dangerous" and a "villain." However, she "doesn't let it get to her," a close friend has revealed. Camilla was one of the royal family members who came under the most scrutiny from Harry in his memoir, which became the fastest-selling non-fiction book of all time when published in January. Among the claims made against the now-queen, Harry accused her of sacrificing him on her "PR altar" by leaking stories to make herself look better.

He also revealed that he and Prince William begged King Charles not to marry Camilla, because she would be closely compared to Princess Diana. The late royal famously described Camilla as the third person in her marriage back in 1995.

Queen Camilla photographed on a state visit to Germany, March 30, 2023. The queen was "hurt" by Prince Harry's memoir criticisms, her close friend has revealed. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

As the date of her coronation, alongside Charles, on May 6 draws nearer, Camilla's rise from demonized mistress to increasingly popular queen consort is being assessed in Britain.

In an in-depth profile compiled by U.K. newspaper The Times on Sunday, members of the royal's closest circle were interviewed. They included the Marchioness of Lansdowne, a long-term friend and recently appointed "Queen's Companion"--a more informal version of a lady-in-waiting. About how Camilla reacted to her stepson Harry's public criticisms in his memoir, the paper cited a close "aide" who said: "It was not stamping of feet or gnashing of teeth.

It was much more of an eye-roll response." Lansdowne is then quoted as saying: "Of course, it bothers her, of course, it hurts. But she doesn't let it get to her.

Her philosophy is always, 'Don't make a thing of it and it will settle down--least said, soonest mended.'" Camilla herself has not spoken publicly about Harry's criticisms of her or his memoir more generally. This is in line with the blanket "no comment" position adopted by Buckingham Palace about the prince's media projects.

One of Harry's main criticisms of his stepmother is her friendly relationships with members of the British tabloid media. However, The Times wrote that a "former courtier" said this shows her intelligence when it comes to her image, but not in a disingenuous way. "She's been smart and set out to win them over, including her critics, and she achieved it, not with sly tricks, just by taking an interest in their lives and being at ease with them in a way other members of the family aren't," the former courtier said.

"'She was always more like a politician, thinking, 'How do I make this work for me?'"

Prince Harry and Queen Camilla (when Duchess of Cornwall) photographed at Buckingham Palace, London, June 13, 2015. The queen was criticized by her stepson in his memoir "Spare". Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Harry is not the only one to have criticized Camilla. For many years, she has been condemned for her role in the breakdown of the then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana's marriage.

Camilla and Charles met in the 1970s where they had a brief romantic relationship with each going on to marry different partners. By the mid-1980s, the couple are said to have rekindled their partnership after their marriages disintegrated. In 1994, Charles described Camilla as a "dear friend" during an interview with broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby.

He added he had been unfaithful to Diana after the marriage had "irretrievably broken down." Eight years after Diana's death at the age of 36 from injuries sustained in a 1997 high-speed Paris car crash, Charles and Camilla eventually married. As Duchess of Cornwall in 2022, Camilla gave a rare insight into her experiences during the turbulent period of the 1990s when she was subjected to increased tabloid criticism, as well as censure from members of the general public.

"It's not easy. I was scrutinised for such a long time that you just have to find a way to live with it," she told British Vogue. "Nobody likes to be looked at all the time and, you know, criticised. But I think in the end I sort of rise above it and get on with it.

You've got to get on with life." Despite his revelations about his stepmother, Harry made clear in interviews around the release of his memoir that none of his disclosures was made with the intent to hurt his family. When asked about his "scathing" view of Camilla, the prince responded: "There's no part of any of the things that I've said are scathing towards any member of my family, especially not my stepmother.

There are things that have happened that have been incredibly hurtful... some in the past, some current."

King Charles III and Queen Camilla photographed at Buckingham Palace, London, November 22, 2022. The monarchs' coronation is scheduled to take place at Westminster Abbey in the English capital on May 6. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Harry is due to return to Britain in May to witness Camilla's coronation alongside his father, King Charles, in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London. It will mark the first time that the royal will publicly reunite with his family since Spare's publication.

Earlier this month, an announcement made on behalf of Charles read: "Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet." Newsweek emailed Buckingham Palace for comment.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer?

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