Camilla Parker Bowles

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Andrew's early life was steeped in aristocracy; born at Donnington Castle House, his godparents included William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington, and Sir Humphrey de Trafford. His parents were friends with Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who may have even stood as his godmother. As a young man, he rode in the 1969 Grand National on his horse, The Fossa, finishing 11th, showcasing an adventurous spirit alongside his military discipline. He attended Ampleforth College and Sandhurst before commissioning into the Royal Horse Guards (The Blues) in 1960. His career was marked by significant geopolitical moments: he served as Adjutant of The Blues and Royals during its formation in 1969, acted as Senior Military Liaison Officer to Lord Soames in Southern Rhodesia during its transition to Zimbabwe in 1979–1980, and received the Queen's Commendation for Bravery in 1980. His leadership was tested most severely between 1981 and 1983 as Commanding Officer of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, a period defined by terrorist bombings that killed and injured his men and horses.

In Their Own Story

In December 2023, reports surfaced that Andrew Parker Bowles had entered a relationship with television presenter Anne Robinson. This came decades after he married Rosemary Alice Pitman in 1996, following his divorce from Camilla Shand in 1995. Their first marriage in 1973 was a Catholic ceremony attended by godchildren like Lady Emma Herbert and Zara Tindall, though it eventually dissolved amid Andrew's numerous extramarital affairs. Before marrying Camilla, he dated Princess Anne for a few years starting in June 1970, a relationship biographers suggest could not have been very serious due to his Catholic faith. He and Camilla lived at Bolehyde Manor and later Middlewick House near Corsham in Wiltshire, raising children Tom and Laura. Despite the turbulence of his personal life, Andrew remained a steadfast figure in military circles, serving as Silver Stick in Waiting to Queen Elizabeth II from 1987 to 1990 before retiring with the rank of Brigadier.

Reader's Guide

For those tracking the timeline of Andrew Parker Bowles, key dates define his trajectory: commissioned in 1960, promoted to Major on 31 December 1971, and becoming a Lieutenant Colonel on 30 June 1980. His role as Commanding Officer during the 1981 bombings stands out as a defining moment of bravery, where he arrived on foot after hearing blasts to issue orders that saved Sefton. In media, his life inspired Jilly Cooper's character Rupert Campbell-Black alongside others like Michael Howard and Earl of Suffolk. Lucian Freud painted him in 2003; the work, titled The Brigadier, sold for $34.89 million at Christie's in 2015. On screen, he was portrayed by Simon Wilson in Whatever Love Means (2005) and Andrew Buchan in The Crown (2019). His family connections are extensive: he is the uncle of blind autistic savant Derek Paravicini and godfather to Zara Tindall.

Did You Know?

• Andrew Parker Bowles rode his horse, The Fossa, to an 11th place finish in the 1969 Grand National.
• During the 1981 Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings, his orders helped save the famous horse Sefton.
• His painting by Lucian Freud, titled The Brigadier, sold for $34.89 million at Christie's in 2015.
• He served as Senior Military Liaison Officer to Lord Soames during Zimbabwe's transition to majority rule in 1979–1980.
• His godparents included William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington, who married Kathleen 'Kick' Kennedy.