The British monarchy has experienced numerous crises over the past several decades. Perhaps the biggest of them all was Prince Charles's divorce from Princess Diana, the mother of Princes William and Harry, in 1996.
Although the divorce itself was relatively acceptable for the royals by then, the fact that the future king of the UK had an affair, allegedly with a married woman, tarnished the Windsors' reputation in the public eye.
Eventually, Charles married the woman in question, Camilla Parker Bowles, who was recently crowned Queen consort alongside him. However, few people know the fate of her ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, who has had quite a life story.
Andrew had a longstanding relationship with the Royal family before the turmoil. He was a page at Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. He later managed the royal horses for a while and even played polo with Charles on a few occasions. Rumour has it that he did not mind Camilla having an affair with the then-heir apparent when he found out.
Neither this claim, nor the speculation that Andrew and Camilla were still married when her romance with Charles began was confirmed. Nonetheless, it is worth mentioning that Andrew married Rosemary Pitman only a year after his divorce from Camilla. The ensuing marriage was also rumoured to be adulterous. Tragically, Parker Bowles's new wife died of cancer in 2010. The Royal family reportedly participated in the funeral, with Princess Anne said to be in attendance.
Interestingly, Andrew Parker Bowles and Princess Anne share a very amicable rapport. In fact, King Charles III's biographer, Sally Bedell Smith, wrote in her book Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life that the two dated for a while but to no avail, as being a British royal, Anne was prohibited from marrying a Catholic like Andrew.
'Even when their romance eventually wound down, they remained lifelong friends,' the author notes.
In any case, Andrew Parker Bowles remains close to the Royal family. He regularly attends events on their behalf and is said to maintain a good friendship with King Charles, not to mention Camilla, whom he reportedly calls occasionally to engage in some friendly banter and teasing. Notably, Andrew attended the new king's coronation.
Currently, Andrew Parker Bowles is retired and has three children from two marriages. But it is fair to say he has had quite a life.
Source: Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life.