One Member of the Family Keeps King Charles "Sane" as He Navigates Repeated "Family Problems," Says Royal Expert
The monarch has "a very strong support system," according to Phil Dampier.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have weathered many storms since their 2005 marriage, some more literal than others (see: “royal rain gate"). Their Majesties are visiting Antigua and Barbuda ahead of this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, and despite the stress and scandals that the monarchy has faced since his coronation, The King has been able to carry on thanks to the steady support of one person.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, royal expert Phil Dampier said that since The King and Queen’s coronation in May 2023, they’ve experienced numerous bumps in the road, including his 2024 cancer diagnosis. “None of these challenges have derailed the King's reign and he’s had to be very resilient, but he has a very strong support system in his wife, without her I think he would struggle,” Dampier said.
“Camilla is such a strong support behind the scenes which is her main role, she has kept him sane and is helping him to navigate each crisis,” he added.
The King and Queen share a laugh after they were stuck in a downpour while visiting Antigua and Barbuda on November 1.
When Charles was left frustrated and slightly short-tempered after being left in the rain with no umbrella in Antigua, Queen Camilla saw the lighter side of the situation, and the monarch was later spotted giggling with his wife in his soaked-through suit.
Queen Camilla has often been cited as the reason why The King seems more relaxed in recent years. Body language expert Darren Stanton previously told Marie Claire that Her Majesty's "willingness to laugh at herself—and the genuine laughter she often triggers from Charles—has given the public rare glimpses of his lighter, more human side."
Laughter is something that King Charles certainly needed after a tough few years. The King stripped his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, of his titles in October 2025, and the fallout from Andrew’s Jeffrey Epstein scandal and subsequent arrest has shaken the Royal Family’s reputation. Dampier also pointed to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s “laundry airing” as one of the many “family problems” The King has had to deal with since his coronation.
King Charles and Queen Camilla visit Agave Gardens in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda, on November 2.
“Some of these things have been brewing for years, but I don’t think he could have anticipated that they would have blown up so big,” Dampier shared. However, considering the stress he’s been under, the royal expert said that The King has taken to his role “like a duck to water.”
‘While most people in their late 70s are putting their feet up Charles has a massive work ethic, he is often at his desk, burning the midnight oil—writing letters and studying briefs,” Dampier said, adding that Charles "takes the job extremely seriously."
