The 12 Best Books About King Charles and Queen Camilla

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King Charles was just 21 years old when he met Camilla Shand at a polo match at Windsor Great Park, but they wouldn't get engaged until 35 years later, after both of them had been married and divorced. Camilla has come a long way in the eyes of the royal family since she first met Charles; the two wed in 2005, and upon Charles's ascension to the throne last September, she became Queen Consort. King Charles and Queen Camilla will have their coronation on May 6, 2023—so what better time to read all about the UK's new King and Queen?

Throughout the decades, there have been numerous works that purport to tell the true story of Charles and Camilla (Season five of The Crown dives into their relationship in the 1990s—with Charles portrayed by Dominic West, and Camilla by Olivia Williams.) Here, we picked the nine best books—biographies, photo diaries, and gossipy titles—that shed new light on the royals as individuals and as a couple.

Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life

American journalist Sally Bedell Smith is known for her nuanced and thorough biographies, from Elizabeth The Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch to Grace and Power: The Private World of the Kennedy White House. In 2017, she turned her attention to the heir to the throne, Charles, and the expectations that hung around him since birth. A starred review of Prince Charles in Booklist called the biography "comprehensive and admirably fair" and "until his accession to the throne, Smith’s portrait will stand as the definitive study."

The Duchess: Camilla Parker Bowles and the Love Affair That Rocked the Crown

"There was no denying that the Prince did always love Camilla," Penny Junor writes in the introduction to The Duchess. She and Charles, "are a compelling and well-matched couple, fired by the same ideals, tickled by the same sense of the absurd. They are friends, companions and soulmates." Juror's biography dives into how Camilla "came to play such a pivotal role in British history." Junor followed the Duchess of Corwnall on official engagements over over a year, and spoke with her numerous times (though never formally interviewed her). She did, however, interview Camilla's friends, family, and the people who work with her. This is as close to an authorized biography as the royal family gets.

Charles & Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair

Billed as "the definitive account of one of the most extraordinary stories of our time," writer and politician Gyles Brandreth followed his 2004 book on Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's relationship (Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage) with a look at Prince Charles and Camilla's decades-long love affair. Brandreth was a biographer of Prince Philip and spent time with the late Duke of Edinburgh over 40 years; he wrote about Philip's life extensively. Therefore, while Philip's eldest son was new territory for him, he also provides the insider perspective. The tone is set with the epigraph to Charles & Camilla:A quote by Jean Anouilh, a French dramatist, who writes, "There is love, of course. And then there's life, its enemy." Consider it a must-read for those curious about Charles and Camilla's complicated relationship.

The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor--the Truth and the Turmoil

A newer look at the House of Windsor follows the British royal family from Princess Diana's death through Harry and Meghan's exit. It includes chapters on all the key players, including Charles and Camilla. While the biggest revelations of Tina Brown's book had nothing to do with these two, there were still fascinating details revealed about the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. If you love royal gossip and intrigue, The Palace Papers is 100% for you.

King Charles: The Man, the Monarch, and the Future of Britain

Royal reporter Robert Jobson dives into the life of Prince Charles in a 2019 biography titled King Charles. Jobson, who has written on Prince Philip, Princess Diana, Prince William, and other royals, turns his eye to the life of the Prince of Wales as he approaches his ascension to the throne. In particular, he dives into Prince Charles's political beliefs—on subjects from climate change to Brexit—and speaks to "sources close to the Prince who have never spoken on the record before."

Rebel Prince: The Power, Passion and Defiance of Prince Charles

British journalist Tom Bower's Rebel Prince is full of wild claims. For example, Bower wrote that the Queen allegedly called Camilla "that wicked woman" and said she wanted "nothing to do with her." He also claimed that the Prince of Wales once sent two bedrooms' worth of furniture ahead of a visit to a friend's house. If you love unsubstantiated gossip—this is for you.

Game of Crowns: Elizabeth, Camilla, Kate, and the Throne

Game of Crowns does not focus on Charles; rather, it looks at the "relationships and rivalries" of the three most prominent women in the British royal family today: Queen Elizabeth, Camilla Parker Bowles, and Kate Middleton. One the current queen, and two the future queens.

The King: The Life of Charles III

The first biography of Charles since he became monarch, Christopher Anderson's The King is a look back at Charles's path to becoming king. "Yet for all the pomp and pageantry and spectacle and palace intrigue and history in the making—not to mention the millions of words written about him and his celebrated family—King Charles remains an enigma. This is his story," Anderson writes.

Camilla: From Outcast to Queen Consort

A new biography of Queen Camilla traces her journey to be accepted by the royal family. Levin spoke to many of Camilla's friend, staff, and those she works with at charities. "I wanted to bridge the gulf between her public image and what she is really like," Levin notes in the introduction.

Modern Monarchy: The British Royal Family Today

Photographer Chris Jackson has been documenting the royal family since 2003, and his first book is a fascinating collection of photographs, complete with Jackson's own captions and insights. Included, of course, are pictures of Charles and Camilla over the years—allowing readers a front-row, behind-the-scenes glimpse at royal life.

Charles III: A King and His Queen

Chris Jackson's newest book focuses specifically on King Charles and Queen Camilla, centering the royal couple ahead of their coronation on May 6, 2023. It's commemorates "the start of a new reign and documents more than twenty years of tours, engagements, celebrations, historical moments, and royal family gatherings in a single volume that demonstrates how relevant the British royal family remains today."

Spare

Prince Harry's memoir contained numerous revelations about his father and stepmother, but on the whole, Spare painted a nuanced, thoughtful portrait of King Charles through his son's eyes. As Harry told Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes, "None of anything that I’ve written, anything I’ve included is ever intended to hurt my family."