Separate homes is the key to King Charles and Queen Camilla’s happy marriage

King Charles’ former gardener has spilled on the unorthodox living arrangements of the King and Queen as the monarch is dragged into Prince Andrew’s Chinese spy saga.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are gearing up to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary next week.

And the secret to the longevity of their marriage? Separate living arrangements, The New York Post reports.

According to a former palace staffer, the monarch, 76, and his wife, 77, maintain separate residences, with Camilla having her beloved home in Wiltshire, while Charles owns countless royal residences peppered across the country.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla prefer to keep separate abodes. Picture: Getty Images

Jack Stooks, who worked as a senior gardener at Highgrove for Charles for over two decades, said the couple had agreed on a separate living arrangement before tying the knot in 2005.

“Before Charles and Camilla got married, they agreed Camilla would keep her home,” Stooks told the Express.

“The separate space was important for them both and their families.”

Indeed, the unique set-up has proven crucial to the success of their decades-long relationship.

“For Camilla, her Wiltshire house had so many memories of raising her family. It’s somewhere she can retreat and escape royal life if she needs to,” Stooks said of Her Majesty’s personal property.

“It’s somewhere she can go with her family and have a laid-back weekend without prying eyes.”

Last month, Charles purchased a sprawling property next door to Camilla’s home over fears her privacy is being breached.

The king forked out $3.8 million on a building that was set to become a wedding venue in Wiltshire, England, so that Camilla’s nearby home would not be swarmed by visitors.

According to the former royal staffer, both Charles and Camilla value their independence and alone time.

“Charles enjoys time alone and he’s got a very strong work ethic. He’s been known to work at his desk into the early hours,” he said.

He added that the royal couple also maintain their own social life, with Camilla boasting “a lot of friends” that she sees regularly.

“Charles and Camilla have a good set of mutual friends and they love to host at their various residences,” he said.

Prince Andrew’s latest drama has once again seen the King dragged in. Picture: AP

It comes as new court documents were released after an application by multiple British media outlets which reveal the King was briefed that Prince Andrew was pursuing an opportunity with investment fund which involved an alleged Chinese spy.

The documents reveal Charles, Andrew and Andrew's aide Dominic Hampshire met twice in 2023 and 2024.

The meetings were to discuss “what the Duke can do moving forwards in a way that is acceptable to His Majesty” in terms of business opportunities following the scandal about Andrew’s relationship with accused convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

During these meetings, the court documents state the Eurasia Fund - which involved Yang “Chris” Tengbo who is banned from the UK on national security grounds - was mentioned.

There is no suggestion King Charles knew about the security concerns surrounding Yang.

KING CHARLES KEEPS CALM AND CARROT ON

King Charles has joined members of a unique orchestra to make music using a carrot at a reception at Windsor Castle.

Never one to shy away from showing good humour, the monarch delighted guests when he played the nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on a carrot recorder.

The carrot had been carved into a wind instrument by musicians from the London Vegetable Orchestra – the only musical ensemble in the United Kingdom that makes music with raw veg.

King Charles was in high spirits at a reception to celebrate people involved in community music at Windsor Castle. Picture: Getty Images

The monarch delighted guests as he took a chance. Picture: Getty Images

The King hosted 350 guests, including leaders of community music groups and music-related projects, to recognise those involved in community music, often as volunteers, across the UK.

Guests described the monarch as being “jolly” and “in great spirits” after a short stay in hospital last weekend to recover from side effects brought on by his cancer treatment.

Former

After the performance, the King told the crowd he would be taking the carrot home with him.

One member told Charles the vegetable recorder was “specially made”, adding that they “stayed up all night making it.”

Members of the Vegetable Orchestra give King Charles some instruction on how to play the carrot recorder. Picture: Getty Images

The British monarch was in good spirits joining the London Vegetable Orchestra to make music by playing a carrot recorder. Picture: AFP

Guest Alan Livingstone, who is a community radio DJ in Manchester, praised the King’s dedication to community and good humour despite his recent hospital stay.

“It’s amazing that he makes the effort,” the 66-year-old former royal mail manager said.

“What an incredible man, to do all this and encourage people to do good work in the community.”

The King was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February 2024 and returned to public duties last April.

He has continued to have weekly treatment which occasionally results in the monarch feeling unwell due to side effects which his medical team describe as “common”.

You won’t be-leaf your ears! 👂🥬

An a-maize-ing 🌽 start to this evening celebrating community music makers at Windsor Castle, with the @LondonVegOrch and their spud-acular 🥔 pea-formance 🫛 of ‘Lettuce Bean’ by The Beet-les… 😉😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/RExkn1XD6E

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 3, 2025

The King was seen talking and laughing with award-winning British saxophonist YolanDa Brown on whom the monarch bestowed an OBE in 2023 for her services to music, music education and broadcasting.

King Charles shares a laugh with YolanDa Brown during the reception to celebrate community music workers at Windsor Castle. Picture: AFP

During the reception, the Royal Opera House Songs for Ukraine Chorus – a choir made up of Ukrainian singers affected by the war – sang from the balcony.

Bohdan Parashchak, the conductor of the chorus, said: “We talked about how when you can do something like this, just a few hours a week is like a kind of healing.”

Another guest, Nazli Erdogan from the Brixton Chamber Orchestra also praised the king’s spirited demeanour and commitment to his work.

“It is amazing, his sense of duty. You could just be in bed,” she said.

Originally published as Separate homes is the key to King Charles and Queen Camilla’s happy marriage