Princess Diana’s Ruthless Nickname for Camilla Was Very Cutthroat

During her 1995 “Panorama” interview with Martin Bashir, Princess Diana famously remarked, “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.” With these words, she made it clear that then-Prince Charles had been unfaithful throughout their troubled relationship. Although Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles are happily together now, the consequences of that period are still being felt today. Prince Harry’s ongoing dispute with Camilla shows no signs of abating, largely because he and his wife, Meghan Markle, are still estranged from the rest of the royal family. Prince William’s relationship with Queen Camilla is quite different, but some wounds seem to remain unhealed.

Unsurprisingly, Princess Diana and Camilla had little affection for each other during the turbulent times of their love triangle. According to royal expert and biographer Christopher Andersen, the two women had unflattering nicknames for each other. “Diana called Camilla ‘the Rottweiler,’ and Camilla’s nickname for Diana was ‘Barbie,'” Andersen disclosed to Fox News Digital. This animosity extended to titles as well; Camilla was reportedly hesitant to adopt the title of Princess of Wales after Diana’s death, despite her marriage to Charles. However, Queen Elizabeth II solidified Camilla’s place in the royal family by designating her Queen Consort.

Camilla Parker Bowles has experienced a long journey from being widely considered responsible for the dissolution of Charles and Diana’s marriage and Diana’s untimely death to becoming Queen Camilla. According to a Statista poll citing data from October 2023 to February 2024, 50% of Britons now hold a favorable opinion of her, a significant improvement from October 2019 when only 40% had a positive view. This rise in popularity is particularly notable given the controversy surrounding Megxit and the Sussexes’ subsequent interviews and Prince Harry’s bestselling book. Camilla’s popularity surged even more as she took on a more significant role during King Charles III’s cancer treatment.

Just months before her death, Queen Elizabeth II expressed her desire for Camilla to serve as Britain’s Queen Consort, thus officially endorsing her. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams explained to Express that Camilla gradually became a comforting figure for Britons during a challenging period for the royal family. He noted, “These are tough times with the king undergoing treatment for cancer, but she has been tested before, enduring persistent criticism from supporters of Diana whilst maintaining a dignified silence.” Fitzwilliams added, “It is her good humor and reliability as well as the support she gives the king during this uncertain time, which make her contribution invaluable.”

Princess Diana’s enduring legacy continues to cast a shadow over Queen Camilla. In a “Good Morning Britain” appearance, royal expert Jack Royston shared that YouGov polls showed people in the 1990s largely sided with Diana, and younger generations today feel similarly, according to Newsweek. During this time, Camilla was often viewed as the main antagonist, even more so than Charles, who admitted to their affair a couple of years before Diana’s interview.

Royal biographer Penny Junor’s book “The Duchess: Camilla Parker Bowles and the Love Affair That Rocked the Crown” suggested that Charles deserved more criticism than he received. Apparently, he actively downplayed Diana’s suspicions about his relationship with Camilla and even failed to inform Diana that they had previously been romantically involved. Charles only disclosed the truth to Diana after proposing, reassuring her that he was no longer close to Camilla.

Andrew Morton’s biography “Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words” described how Camilla invited Diana to lunch to question her about Charles. As Morton noted, “Camilla kept asking if Diana was going to hunt when she moved to Highgrove. Nonplussed by such an odd question, Diana replied in the negative. The relief on Camilla’s face was clear. Diana later realized that Camilla saw Charles’s love of hunting as a way to maintain her relationship with him.” Therefore, it’s no surprise that Diana harbored deep suspicions toward Camilla.