Both of their marriages fell into difficulty, however. Camilla divorced in 1995, Charles the year after. There was controversy when Charles admitted he had committed adultery with Camilla while still married to Diana, but she chose to remain silent on the subject.
After the tragic death of Princess Diana in 1997, the two kept their blossoming relationship low key. However, they made their first public appearance together in 1999, at a party at the Ritz Hotel in London.
'Operation Ritz' – as it was dubbed at the time – was orchestrated by the Prince's spin doctor, Mark Bolland. Mark was tasked with presenting Charles and Camilla to the world and persuading the public to accept them as a couple. From then on, Camilla made more and more high-profile appearances alongside Charles.